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OFFICE OF 




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JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA 




. 




























































I 


, "■ 














JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA AND HIS WIFE. 

























A SKETCH OF THE LIFE 


OF 

Rev. |OSEPH HARDY NEESIMA 

LL. D. 

PRESIDENT OF DOSHISHA UNIVERSITY, KYOTO 


V 



PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN DOSHISHA UNIVERSITY 


“3for me to live 10 Cbriat, to t»ie le gain” 

PHIL, i, 21 

"tfor none, of 110 livctb to bimself, anb none bietb MbMP* 


OFFICE OF 

IVith many llluslrattpW\ AT I 0 N 

j OVERSEAS BRANCH 

LIBRARY 


¥ 


111 SUTTER ST. 
SAN FRANCISCO 


FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 
New York Chicago Toronto 


Publishers of Evangelical Literature 

. r, 


JAPAN REFERENCE 
LIBRARY 


Mnil VAPK 











( 


Copyright, 1894, 

Fleming H. Revell Compan 





MAY 3 (L194? 

y V- o cv z 

->~T3 7 


PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION 


The life, character, and work of our brother who was so 
recently “called up higher” were remarkable and unique; 
much of his life was spent in our midst here in Kyoto. 
For over fourteen years it was my privilege to be very 
intimately associated with him, and I have been asked to 
prepare a brief sketch of his life which may perhaps serve 
as an introduction to larger works which will doubtless be 
published later both in Japan and in the United States. 

In preparing this sketch I have consulted Dr. Neesima’s 
diary, written before he left his home for Hakodate, while 
on the voyage thither, and in Hakodate, up to the day he 
sailed from that place on his great quest for truth, and 
also a copy of the brief sketch of his life written by the 
late Miss Pliebe Fuller McKeen, one of his Sabbath-school 
teachers; this sketch was written after Dr. Neesima had 
been in Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., about a year. 
I have quoted freely from the latter in the first chapter 
and the beginning of the second, using Dr. Neesima’s own 
words in broken English which he wrote out, or which 
his teacher above referred to copied from his lips before 
he had had an opportunity to master the English lan¬ 
guage. I have also quoted from his journal written on 
his trip around the world in 1884-85; I also quote freely 
from letters received from our brother during the last 
fifteen years, and I give in some detail the history of the 

5 




6 Preface to the Fust Edition 

founding of the Doshisha schools, the great work of Dr. 
Neesima’s life. 

His presence with us has been a blessing, and his mem¬ 
ory is a benediction to us all. My hope and prayer is that 
God may use this sketch for his own glory in the advance¬ 
ment of his Kingdom in Japan. 

J. D. Davis. 

Doshisha, Kyoto, February, 1890. 


PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION 


The many appreciative letters and notices which the 
first edition, published in Japan, elicited, and the often- 
expressed desire that this small book should be placed on 
sale in America, as well as the fact that this life appears 
more and more impressive as the years go by, have re¬ 
sulted in the preparation of this second edition for the 
press. 

From the many appreciative letters received the follow¬ 
ing extracts are given. The editor of the Missionary 
Revieiv of the World says: “ Few books of a biographical 
nature have ever fallen under my eyes which have so 
interested and delighted me. The riches of missionary 
literature more and more increase. No man or woman 
can read this book without a positive addition to heart- 
wealth.” 

The librarian of Carleton College writes: “ I sat down 
with it yesterday afternoon and read it through with the 
greatest interest. I hope that it will do our students 
much good in stimulating them to noble action.” The 
president of another college writes: “I have read the 
book through with tears. It stirs the heart. It rouses 
new faith and hope. It makes me believe God. It will 
do vast good.” 

The principal of an academy writes: “You have suc¬ 
ceeded in a very high degree in presenting Neesima’s life 



8 


Preface to the Second Edition 


in a most attractive form, at least to Christians. The 
spiritual part, the very essence of his life, as you describe 
it, takes strong hold of the soul. I wish every Sunday- 
school library in the world could have copies of it, and I 
hope yon will take measures to have it very widely spread 
in the world.” 

A missionary writes: u The 1 Sketch of the Life of Rev. 
J. H. Neesima’ is the first biography I have ever read 
with tears trickling from my eyes on every page. What 
a wonderful soul must that outlaw have carried in his 
bosom! ” 

The first edition has been translated and published in 
the Japanese language. It has also been translated into 
Chinese and published in China. Since the first edition 
was prepared the “ Life and Letters of Joseph Hardy Nee- 
sima,” prepared by Professor A. S. Hardy, and published 
by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., has appeared, and during the 
four years which have elapsed the author has availed 
himself of the opportunity afforded by this book, as well 
as in other ways, to correct some errors which the first 
edition contained, and also to make some additions. 

J. D. Davis. 

Doshisha University, January, 1894. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I. 

Birth, Early Education, and Start from Japan. 15 

CHAPTER II. 

Trials and Preparation. 29 

CHAPTER III. 

Laying Foundations. 47 

CHAPTER IV. 

Marriage, Trials, and Work. 61 

CHAPTER V. 

Broadening Plans, Tour Abroad. 85 

CHAPTER VI. 

Last Days, Death, and Burial. 109 

CHAPTER VII. 

Tributes and Lessons. 119 


9 















LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Joseph Hardy Neesima and His Wife. Frontispiece 

The Sacred Mountain. Facing page 16 

Neesima in Hakodate, 1864 . “ 22 

Neesima Dressed as a Servant. “ 24 

Hon. Alpheus Hardy.... .. “ 32 

Neesima’s Wife and Mother. u 62 

First Theological Hall, Doshisha University. 11 67 

Recitation Hall, Doshisha University. “ 74 

Library Hall, Doshisha University .. “ 86 

Science Hall, Doshisha University. “ 92 

Clark Theological Hall, Doshisha University. “ 100 

New Chapel. “ 110 

Neesima’s Residence . “ 124 

Neesima’s Study. 11 136 

First Class in Doshisha. “ 148 

Last Resting-place. “ 154 


11 


















Neesima’s Coat of Arms. 





I 

BIRTH, EARLY EDUCATION, AND START 
FROM JAPAN 


13 


“Now the Lord said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and 
from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will 
show thee — Genesis xii. 1. 

“ God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform.” 

COWPER. 

“Faith is nothing else but the soul’s venture.” 

W. Bridge. 

“ Rashly, 

And praised be rashness for it—let us know, 

Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well, 

When our deep plots do pall; and that should teach us, 
There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, 

Rough-hew them how we will.” 

Shakespeare. 


14 


CHAPTER I 


BIRTH, EARLY EDUCATION, AND START FROM JAPAN 

The long sleep of the island empire was broken. The 
fleet of “ barbarian ” ships which cast anchor in the Bay 
of Yedo on that Sabbath morning, July 7, 1853, under 
command of Commodore Perry, finally caused the nation 
which had been closed for two hundred and fifty years 
to open its gates to the world. There followed a develop¬ 
ment along lines of material progress more rapid than the 
world had ever before witnessed. Japan sent her keenest 
statesmen to search through the enlightened nations of 
the world for the best they could find, and tried to advance 
as far in thirty years as the nations of the West had done 
in as many decades. God touched the heart of one young 
man among the many thousands in the Eastern capital, 
and fitted him to bear a conspicuous part in that moral 
revolution which is needed as the counterpart of the ex¬ 
ternal revolution, and without which the rapid material 
progress cannot be lasting. 

Mr. Neesima was born in Yedo, January 14,1843, Jap¬ 
anese old style. According to the Western mode of reck¬ 
oning it was February 12, 1843. He was a samurai, one 
of the retainers of a daimio of the province of Kod- 
zuke, the castle town of which was Annaka, about seventy 
miles from Tokyo. He was born in Tokyo, in the house 
of Itakura, a prince of this province. His father (Neesima 

15 


10 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Tamaharu) was writing-master of the prince’s house, and 
served also as steward, having charge of the private ser¬ 
vants and attendants of the prince. 

The family consisted, besides himself, of a younger 
brother, who died while he was in America, and four sis¬ 
ters, only one of whom survives. Mr. Neesima’s father 
died in 1886, but his mother still survives (1894), at the 
advanced age of eighty-eight years. 

In later years he wrote as follows of his mother: “ Sli^ 
was a very kind-hearted woman, always ready to assist 
her neighbors, although she found so much to do in her 
own family. One day she was sick in bed; I was very 
anxious for her, and wished to procure some remedy, 
though she had something from the doctor. So I went 
to the temple and prayed to the god that he would cure 
my mother j I bought a little bit of cake, which was a 
portion of the morning offering, and gave it to her for a 
remedy, hoping earnestly that it might do some good to 
her. I knew not, indeed, whether nature cured her, or 
whether her will or faith in the god made her whole, but 
she became better soon after she received that cake. She 
truly believed that the god had granted my earnest request 
for her, and restored her health so soon. I had done the 
same thing for my neighbors, and was often successful in 
curing them.” 

The above extract and the one which follows show the 
religious nature of the boy, and his faithfulness, although 
he early learned to distrust the gods of his fathers. “ I was 
obedient to my parents, and, as they early taught me to do, 
served gods made by hand with great reverence. I strictly 
observed the days of my ancestors and departed friends, 
and we went to the graveyards to worship their spirits. 
I often rose up early in the morning, went to a temple 
which was at least three and a half miles from home, 








m. 

■m 


L 



M 


THE SACRED MOUNTAIN 





























































































































































































































































Birth , Early Education, and Start from Japan 17 

where I worshiped the gods, and returned promptly, reach¬ 
ing home before breakfast. I did that not only because 
I expected some blessing from the gods, but that I might 
receive praise from my parents and neighbors.” 

The coming of Commodore Perry when he was ten 
years old quite stirred young Neesima’s heart. Of this 
he wrote: “Although I was then quite young, yet I desired 
to be a brave soldier or a man of honor, like those whom I 
found so often in our ancient history. I frequently went 
to the temple of the god of war, prayed sincerely that he 
would give me strength, and often performed very foolish 
ceremonies for his service. Once, when I was reading a 
life of a Chinese hero, I came across a famous phrase 
which he proclaimed when he quitted the sword-exer¬ 
cise : ‘ A sword is only designed to slay a single man, but 
I am going to learn to kill ten thousand enemies.’ That is, 
he was inclined to study some work of strategy. Though 
I was not able to measure my own quality, yet I desired 
to follow his example, and wished to kill many thousands 
of enemies, not by a sword, but by strategy. This thought 
helped me to quit sword-exercise and to confine myself 
entirely to study. I studied very diligently, and often 
went to bed after cock-crow .” 

The quotations in the sketch which follows on the next 
few pages were written in imperfect English before he had 
been in America a year, and are taken from “ The Story 
of Neesima,” written by Miss Phebe F. McKeen. About 
the time he was sixteen years old he was engaging in 
the study of the Chinese language with great enthusiasm 
when his prince “ picked up me to write his daily book; 
although it would not had been my desire, I was obliged 
to go up his office.” A new light dawned upon him about 
this time. “A day my comrade sent me a Atlas of United 
States, which was written in Chinese letter by some 


18 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


American minister. I read it many times, and I was 
wondered so much as my brain would melted out of my 
head, because I liked it very much j picking one presi¬ 
dent, building free schools, poor-houses, house of correc¬ 
tion, and machine-working, and so forth, and I thought 
that a government of every country must be as President 
of United States. And I murmured myself that, O gover¬ 
nor of Japan ! why you keep down us, as a dog or a pig ? 
We are people of Japan • if you govern us, you must love 
us as your children. From that time I wished to learn 
American knowledge, but, alas! I could not got any 
teacher to learn it. Although I would not like to learn 
Holland, I was obliged to learn it, because so many of my 
countrymen understood to read it.” 

But it was difficult for him to find time for the study of 
Dutch. Once when his prince had, for the second time, 
caught him running away from the office to go to his 
Dutch teacher, and had given him a flogging for it, he 
asked: “ ‘ Why you run out from here ? ’ Then I answered 
him that ‘I wish to learn foreign knowledge, because 
foreigners have got best knowledge, and I hope to under¬ 
stand very quickly j therefore, though I know I must stay 
here and reverence your law, my soul went to my master’s 
house to learn it, and my body was obliged to go thither 
too.’ Then he said to me very kindly, 1 You can write 
Japan very well, and you can learn yourself enough with 
it j if you don’t run away from here any more, I will give 
you more wages. With what reason will you like foreign 
knowledge ? Perhaps it will mistake yourself.’ I said to 
him sooner, ‘ Why will it mistake myself f I guess every 
one must take some knowledge. If a man has not any 
knowledge, I will worth him as a dog or a pig.’ Then he 
laughed and said me, ‘You are a stable boy.’” 

This was not the only time that thirst for knowledge 


Birth , Early Education , and Start from Japan 19 

brought him both ridicule and blows. His family and 
acquaintances thought him very foolish to be craving 
needless knowledge, still he “ never took care to them,” and 
“ held his stableness very fast.” His work increased, how¬ 
ever, so that he had no time for study, and this cost him 
“ many musings in my head ”and at last he became fairly 
sick with thwarted purposes and unsatisfied longings. 
After various efforts to cure him, his physician told him, 
“ Your sickness comes from your mind; you must try to 
destroy your warm mind, and must take walk for the 
healthfulness of your body, and it would be more better 
than many medicine.” “ My prince gave me plenty times 
to feed my weakness, and my father gave me some money 
to play myself; ” all of which he devoted to the study of 
Dutch. “A small * Book of Nature/ which fell into his 
hands, delighted him so much that it proved “ more better 
to ray sickness than doctor’s medicines.” - 

So health came back, and with it came the busy days 
and studious nights. In his “ Book of Nature ” he met with 
some things he was unable to understand, because he had 
never studied arithmetic ;• so he went to an arithmetic 
school until he had mastered enough to go through his 
“ Book of Nature ” intelligently. Here are some reflections 
of this young seeker after knowledge in his own words: 
“Some day I went to the seaside of Yedo, hoping to see 
the view of the sea. I saw largest man-of-war of Dutch 
lying there, and she seemed to me as a castle or as a bat¬ 
tery, and I thought, too, that she would be strong enough 
to fight with enemy. While I look upon her, one reflec¬ 
tion came upon my head, that we must open navy, because 
my country is surrounded by water, and if foreigners fight 
to my country, we must fight with them at sea. But I 
made other reflection, too: that, since foreigners trade, 
price of everything get high, the country get poor; there- 


20 


Joseph Hardy Xeesima 


fore, because the countrymen don’t understand to do trade 
with foreigners, therefore we must know to do trade, and 
we must learn foreign knowledge. But the government’s 
law neglected all my thoughts, and I cried out myself, 
Why government? why not let us be free? why let us be 
as a bird in a cage or as a rat in a bag ? ” 

So he set to work in a government marine school 
whenever he could get away from his work, seeking in¬ 
formation which he might turn to account for his country 
in the future. He had just made a good beginning in 
navigation when night study injured his eyes so that he 
was obliged to leave books entirely for a year and a half, 
u which would not come again in my life.” He had hardly 
recovered from this trouble so as to resume his place in 
his prince’s office when he was beset with measles, and 
his eyes, in consequence, u began to spoil again,” so that he 
was obliged to “ spend many times very vainly.” When 
he did begin to use his eyes again, however, it was to 
some purpose. “ A day I visited my friend, and I found 
out small Holy Bible in his library, that was written 
by some American minister in China language and had 
shown only the most remarkable events of it. I lend it 
from him and read it at night. I was afraid the savage 
country’s law, which if I read the Bible will cross,” i.e., 
crucify, u my whole family.” 

This abridgement of the Bible contained little but the 
grand facts of creation and redemption, and these were 
entirely new to this earnest young soul who pored over 
its pages. The opening sentence of this book was: “ In 
the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” 
He says: “ I put down the book and look around me, say¬ 
ing, Who made me? my parents? No, my God. God 
made my parents and let them make me. Who made my 
table? a carpenter? No, my God. God let trees grow 


Birth, Early Education , <nid Start from Japan 2l 

upon the earth; although a carpenter made up this table, 
it indeed came from trees; then I must be thankful to 
God, I must believe him, and I must be upright against 
him.” He at once recognized his Maker’s claim to love 
and obedience, and began to yield them; he prayed, “ Oh, 
if you have eyes, look upon me; if you have ears, listen 
for me.” It was a long time after this, however, that he 
first learned to pray as a man talketh with his friend. 

From this time his “ mind was fulfilled to read English 
Bible,” and he “ burned to find some teacher or mission¬ 
ary ” who could teach him. 

His father was disturbed by his boy’s new notions, and 
certain that he would get the whole family into trouble; 
and on asking permission of his prince and his parents to 
go to Hakodate, where he hoped to meet some English¬ 
man or American, he got not only a refusal, but a flog¬ 
ging. Still “ my stableness did not destroy by their ex¬ 
postulations.” He next applied to a relative of his prince, 
a noble higher in authority and rank than he, and got 
leave from him to go in one of his vessels to Hakodate. 
Now he had gained his point, neither his father nor his 
prince could prevent him. 

This was in March, 1864, and when he heard this news 
he exclaimed, “ Oh, heaven does not cast me off; the great 
point of my business is in this one thing,” and he leaped 
for joy. He went to his room, packed such of his belong¬ 
ings as he desired to take with him, but he could not sleep 
at all till morning; and on March 11th (O. S.), with great 
pain, but with a resolute heart, he left his family in tears 
and started on his search for truth, “not thinking that 
when money was gone, how would I eat and dress myself, 
but only casting myself on the providence of God.” 

On the 13th the ship sailed away from the harbor, and 
he was on the great ocean. He had told his mother that 







Birth, Early Education, and Start from Japan 23 

ment at first, as lie sought in vain for any teacher of Eng¬ 
lish ; and his small funds melted away very fast, and he 
was obliged to look about him for means to feed the outer 
man as well as the inner. In this he was successful, as 
he fell in with P&re Nikolai, the Russian priest who has 
since so successfully taught the religion of the Greek 
Church in Japan. Nikolai was glad to secure his services 
as a teacher of Japanese, so he removed to Nikolai’s house 
and began his work. 

He found a few wide-awake young Japanese among the 
acquaintances he made, and among them Mr. Munokite, a 
clerk in an English store, who could speak English toler¬ 
ably well, and who played a most important part in the 
next great act in the drama of Neesima’s life. Meeting 
with these young friends from time to time, he told them 
of his intense desire to learn foreign knowledge, and they 
encouraged him. But on account of the great difficulties 
connected with learning it in Japan, he conceived the idea 
of leaving the country altogether. The more he saw of 
his native land the more he longed to be able to “ bring a 
light into the darkness”; but it was a very serious ques¬ 
tion. If he left the country death would be his only wel¬ 
come back. To go was to adventure himself, a penniless 
wanderer with an unknown tongue, into a vast, mysterious 
world of which he only knew that truth was there. Worst 
of all, it would bring grief and fear, possibly danger and 
death, into the home he loved. He spent much time in 
thinking over this momentous question; he discharged 
his duty as a teacher to Pere Nikolai faithfully, and, as his 
employer went every day to the Russian hospital to have 
his eyes treated, young Neesima went with him, and in 
his diary he describes in minute detail all the appoint¬ 
ments of this hospital, its buildings, its beds, its diet, its 
medicines, and most of all, the fact that the poor were 


24 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


treated without money and without price. All this made 
a deep impression upon his mind; and the more he studied 
over the great question the more lie felt impelled to leave 
his country. He even gradually found reasons to justify 
him in going, notwithstanding the strong filial ties which 
bound him to his parents and friends. He says: “One 
reflection came upon my head, that, although my parents 
made and fed me, I belong indeed to Heavenly Father j 
therefore I must believe him and I .must run in his way; 
then I began to search some vessel to get out from the 
country.” 

If every soul was as loyal to truth as was this one, as 
earnestly seeking it, as loyally obeying and following it, 
this world would soon become the very gate of heaven. 
His young English-speaking friend finally secured for him 
a passage in an American schooner, the “ Berlin,” Captain 
Savory, bound for Shanghai. It was necessary to get 
away with the utmost secrecy. He made all his arrange¬ 
ments, picked out a small bundle of his clothes which he 
could carry on his back; he had a letter written, purport¬ 
ing to come from his brother in Tokyo, saying that his 
father was very sick, and that he must hurry home. Prov¬ 
identially, Pere Nikolai had gone away out of town, but 
he showed the letter to his servants and to some others, 
and removed all his goods to a friend’s house. Toward 
evening he took his little bundle of clothes and met his 
three friends for the last time. They had a supper to¬ 
gether, and passed around the sake-cup in token of friend¬ 
ship. Neesima wrote a short poem, all wished him well, 
expressed a desire to accompany him, and bade him good- 
by. About midnight our young hero, dressed as a servant, 
with his bundle on his back, sallied out into the darkness, 
following one of his friends, who was dressed as a samurai, 
with his two swords in plain sight. They "wended their 



NEESIMA DRESSED AS A SERVANT. 
























































Birth, Early Education, and Start from Japan 25 

way by back streets down to the water’s edge, where his 
friends had a small boat waiting for him; he was placed 
in the bottom of the boat and covered up, with orders to 
appear as a woman who was being taken out to the ship, 
if they were hailed. A whispered word of parting, hushed 
footsteps, the muffled dip of an oar, and the true-hearted 
young patriot who went to seek light and blessing for his 
country had stolen away from her shores like a culprit, 
and was soon on board the American schooner, the date 
of his embarkation being July 18,1864. 


JAPAN REFERENCE 
LIBRARY 

NEW YORK 











































♦ 






. 











II 


TRIALS AND PREPARATION 


27 



Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need he, 
ye have been put to grief in manifold temptations, that the proof of your 
faith, being more precious than gold that perislieth though it is proved 
by fire, might be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation 
of Jesus Christ — 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. 

“ A raveled rainbow overhead 
Lets down to life its varying thread — 

Love’s blue, joy’s gold, and, fair between, 

Hope’s shifting light of emerald-green ; 

While either side, in deep relief, 

A crimson pain, a violet grief! 

Wouldst thou amid their gleaming hues 
Clutch after those and these refuse ? 

Believe ! as thy beseeching eyes 
Follow their lines and sound the shies, 

There, where the fadeless glories shine, 

An unseen angel twists the twine; 

And be thou sure, what tint soe’er 
The sunbeam’s broken rays may wear, 

It needs them all, that, broad and white, 

God’s love may weave the perfect light.” 

Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney. 

“ Through black waves and stormy blast, 

And out of the fog-wreath dense and dun, 

Guided and held shall the vessel run, 

Gain the fair haven, nigh t being past, 

And anchor in the sun.” 

Susan Coolidge. 


28 


CHAPTER II 


TRIALS AND PREPARATION 

Our young friend was cordially received on board the 
schooner by the kind-hearted captain, but he could not 
sleep any that night, and in the early morning Japanese 
officials were seen coming to search the ship, to make sure 
that no Japanese was secreted on board. The captain hid 
Mr. Neesima in his own private room and locked the door. 
The search was completed, but our hero was not discov¬ 
ered, and the ship weighed anchor, spread her sails, and 
moved out to sea. 

And now our young exile began to think what he had 
done. He had written a long letter to his prince, telling 
him of his decision; he had written another to his home 
friends, urging them not to mourn; but as he passed out 
to sea, and saw the mountains of his native land fade 
from his vision and disappear, very sad thoughts filled 
his heart. To add to his anguish, he was expected to do 
servile work on the ship, and as he had never done any 
such work, his samurai blood rebelled. Once or twice, 
when he was rudely ordered by the sailors to perform 
some menial task, he thought of seizing his sword and 
cutting down the men who seemed to be insulting him; 
but as he reflected that he could not thus realize his great 
purpose, he calmed his passions and meekly submitted to 
the indignity. Again, he had less than four dollars in 

29 


30 


Joseph Hardy Keesima 


money when he came on hoard, and this ship would only 
go as far as Shanghai. What should he do then ? 

He had a very disagreeable passage to Shanghai, and 
he was there for ten days in great doubt and fear lest he 
should be betrayed and taken back to Japan • but finally 
he had the joy of finding an American vessel, the “Wild 
Rover,” bound for Boston. By much effort he succeeded 
in making the captain understand that he would be glad 
to do anything, and ask no other pay than to be taken to 
America. His own words are : “ I begged him, if I get to 
America, please let me go to a school, and take good edu¬ 
cation.” So the captain took him as his own servant, 
dressed him in foreign costume, gave, him the name Jo, 
and on the voyage taught him navigation and English. 

The voyage was long and tedious. The “Wild Rover” 
sailed along the coast of China to Manila and Saigon, 
trading here and there for eight months, before turning 
toward home. While they lay in the harbor of Hong 
Kong, Mr. Neesima found a New Testament in Chinese; 
he felt that he must have it, but how should he get it, 
since he had promised to ask the captain for no money? 
He thought of his sword, and he finally sold it and bought 
the New Testament. 

At last sails were set for the West, and in four months 
from that time the land of promise dawned upon our 
wanderer. 

During his life of a year on the “ Wild Rover,” as Mr. 
Neesima told the writer, he began to read his New Testa¬ 
ment in the Chinese language. He could only spell out 
the meaning, but he began at Matthew and read on in 
course through Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and in the 
midst of the voyage he came to the sixteenth verse of the 
third chapter of John: “ Hod so loved the world, that he 
gave his > only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on 


Trials and Preparation 


SI 


him shall not perish, but have everlasting life,” and this 
made a very deep impression upon him, and he felt that 
this was just such a Saviour as he needed. 

His faith and patience were sorely tried on the long- 
voyage, and when he reached the harbor of Boston it 
seemed to him as if he were to be baffled. Directly after 
coming into port at Boston, the captain hurried away to 
see his friends, and for ten weeks young Neesima was left, 
“ with rough and godless men who kept the ship,” doing 
hard, heavy work, such as he had never been accustomed 
to. Besides this, everybody he met on the wharf fright¬ 
ened him; they told him: “Nobody on shore will relieve 
you, because since the war the price of everything got 
high ; ah, you must go to sea again.” “ I thought, too,” 
he says, “ that I must work pretty well for my eating and 
dressing, and I could not get in any schools before I could 
earn money to pay to a school. When such thoughts 
pressed my brain I could not work very well; I could not 
read book very cheerfully, and I only looked around my¬ 
self a long time as a lunatic.” 

He made one great discovery, however, during this 
tedious waiting-time. The captain had given him a little 
money to amuse himself with on shore, and he had 
bought a copy of “Robinson Crusoe,” which he found in 
a second-hand book-store on Washington Street, and 
“ Robinson Crusoe ” first taught him that he might pray 
. to his Heavenly Father as to a present, personal friend; 
and so every night, after he went to bed, he “ prayed to the 
God, Please don’t cast me away into miserable condition. 
Please let me reach my great aim.” 

How little we know when we pray how long our Hea¬ 
venly Father has been preparing to answer our prayers ! 
What comfort there is in the thought that both we and 
our prayers, our needs and their answers, were all present 


32 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


with God when he made his plan, and that he has been 
preparing from all eternity to answer our prayers in the 
best way. 

The God who had turned this boy’s heart away from 
idols; who had inspired him to “ feel after him, if haply 
he might find him”; who had said to him, “Get thee 
out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy 
father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee ”—this 
same God had not neglected to prepare a place for him 
in the land of promise to which he had led him. He had 
brought the young wanderer across the seas in a ship be¬ 
longing to one of his own children, straight to the hands 
of one whose joy it was to spend his strength and his 
wealth in the service of his Master. 

When the owner of the ship, the Hon. Alpheus Hardy, 
was finally told, by the captain, of this bright young 
Japanese who had thus come in search of truth, he at 
once declared that he would provide some way for his 
support. “ When I first heard these things from my cap¬ 
tain,” said Mr. Neesima, “I jumped for joy; my eyes was 
fulfilled with many tears, because I w r as very thankful 
to him, and thought, ‘God will not forsake me.’” Mr. 
Hardy met the young Japanese later, and asked him what 
his name was. “ The sailors called me Jo,” was the reply. 
“ You are well named,” said Mr. Hardy; “ God has sent 
you to be a savior to your people.” His benefactor little 
knew, when he spoke those words, how much of truth 
there was in them. 

Mr. Hardy’s first thought was to employ him as a house 
servant, but he soon found that he was not fitted for this; 
and in the meantime Mrs. Hardy had asked him to write 
out the reasons why he had left his native land and come 
to America. He did so in his broken English, and when 
Mr. and Mrs. Hardy read his story they felt that God had 





HON. ALPHEUS HARDY. 


























































Trials and Preparation 


33 


sent him, and they accepted the sacred trust, and decided 
to give him a thorough education. 

The following is perhaps the first account which has 
ever been published of the struggle through which this 
benefactor of Mr. Neesima passed when he was obliged to 
give up his early life-purpose to become a minister. It 
was written by one who heard the speech of Mr. Hardy, 
and was published in the August number of the North 
Wisconsin Evangel for 1893, and quoted in the Congrega- 
tionalist for August 31,1893. 

“ This friend of Joseph Neesima and princely benefactor 
of countless good causes told once the following thrilling 
story to the Psi Upsilon Society at Amherst College, of 
which he had just been made an honorary member: 

“ I am not a college man, and it was the bitter disappointment of 
my life that I could not be one. I wanted to go to college and 
become a minister; went to Phillips Academy to fit. My health 
broke down, and in spite of my determined hope of being able to go 
on at last, the truth was forced on me that I could not. To tell my 
disappointment is impossible. It seemed as if all my hope and pur¬ 
pose and interest in life were defeated. 1 1 cannot be God’s minister/ 
was the sentence that kept rolling through my mind. When that 
fact at last became certain to me, one evening alone in my room, my 
distress was so great that I threw myself flat on the floor. The voice¬ 
less cry of my soul was, ‘O God, I cannot be thy minister.’ Then 
there came to me as I lay a vision, a new hope, a perception that I 
eould serve God in business with the same devotion as in preaching, 
and that to make money for God might be my sacred calling. The 
vision of this service, and its nature as a sacred ministry, were so 
clear and joyous that I rose to my feet and with new hope in my 
heart exclaimed aloud, 1 0 God, I can be thy minister! I will go 
back to Boston. I will make money for God, and that shall be my 
ministry. From that time,’ continued Mr. Hardy, 1 1 have felt myself 
to be as much appointed and ordained to make money for God as if 
I had been permitted to carry out my own plan and been ordained to 
preach the Gospel. I am God’s man, and the ministry to which God 
has called me is to make and administer money for him, and I con- 


34 Joseph Hardy Neesima 

sider myself responsible to discharge this ministry and to give account 
of it to him/ ” 

Mr. Hardy placed young Neesima in Phillips Academy 
at Andover, where he made the best use of his opportu¬ 
nities, and where for the first time he fully realized his sins 
and publicly accepted Christ as his Saviour, uniting with 
the church of Christ. Who can doubt, however, that he 
was accepted of Giod before this, and that he would have 
been ready to gladly bow before his Saviour and worship 
him if he had died in the midst of his long voyage in 
search of truth ? 

The following letter was written by Mr. Neesima, when 
he had been in America less than a year, to the Japanese 
friend who helped him get away from Hakodate. 

“Andover, February 23, 1866. 

u Mr. MunoMte, 

“ Dear Sir : 

“I am very well through God’s mercy. Since I 
commenced my hazardous adventure I have spent many 
valuable days in hard work j oh! sometimes I had very 
miserable work: but this work I did not do for money, 
but for true knowledge. When I called on Him who 
made heaven and earth and sea, and all that in them is, 
my sorrow turned into joy, and my misery to success. 
Oh, I may surely say it is very wonderful and marvelous 
that such success has fallen on me! I passed through 
many thousand miles of water very safely without hurri¬ 
cane, tempest, or any trouble. When I came to Boston, 
the ship’s owner, Mr. Alpheus Hardy, and the ship’s cap¬ 
tain, Horace S. Taylor, relieved me from my miserable 
condition, and gave me all things which I needed, and 
sent me to the academy at Andover, Mass., to get an edu¬ 
cation, paying my board and all expenses. 


Trials and Preparation 


35 


“I came to the house of Mr. Hidden—he don’t keep 
any boarder but me only—and he and his sister care for 
me as much as for one of their own family, and I am very 
much enjoyed to stay here. Also I find a kind and reli¬ 
gious man in Mr. Flint, a neighbor who was a teacher of 
some higher school for thirteen years. Every evening 
he hears me recite in arithmetic, that is named Eaton’s 
Higher School Arithmetic, and his wife explains to me 
the most holy and valuable book in the world, entitled 
the New Testament, and tells about our Saviour, Jesus 
Christ, who was sent down from his Father to enlighten 
the darkness and save sinners. In the academy I am 
studying reading, spelling, grammar, and the same arith¬ 
metic ; also I have a Bible-lesson every Sabbath. All the 
teachers and scholars, and many who know about me, are 
interested in me and love me, and some give me things to 
please me. But these things they don’t do for my sake, 
but for the Lord Jesus Christ. 

“ Oh, dear friend, think you well who is Christ. The 
same is the Light which shines on the benighted and 
wicked world and guides us unto the way of salvation. 
The light of candle is blown away, but this is the true 
light of eternal life, and we can by no wise blow it out, 
and we may take this life through Jesus Christ. ‘For 
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into 
the world to condemn the world, but that the world 
through him might believe.’ 

“ Oh, dear friend, I have nothing to repay your kindness, 
but will send only, study the Bible, and my photograph. 
Please care for your health, and study the book I have 
mentioned above. Oh, alas! it is not the country’s law 
to study the Bible and worship our tender and merciful 


36 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Father who made us, loved us, and gave his only begotten 
Son, through whom we may be saved. But the law ought 
to be broken, because it is made by the devil, the king of 
the world. The world was not made by the devil, but by 
our true Father, who gave unto us his true law. O friend, 
whether then is right in the sight of God to hearken unto 
the devil more than unto God, please judge you. 

“If the fierce devil persecute you for righteousness’ 
sake, don’t trouble yourself j I am sure God will protect 
you from all evil, and though your body should be killed, 
your soul would be received unto him, and you would 
dwell in the brightest place with eternal life. I would 
like, indeed, to go there with you. 

“Your truly friend, 

“Neesima Simata.” 

In due time he was ready for college, and entered Am¬ 
herst College, where he was graduated in 1870. The state¬ 
ment of President Seelye, when asked for testimonials for 
Mr. Neesima, as he was about to return to Japan, will be a 
sufficient comment upon his faithfulness in college. Said 
the president: “ You cannot gild gold” 

His faithfulness and thoroughness as a student are 
shown by the fact that he had in his possession a pile of 
large books nearly two feet high, which are filled with 
lectures and notes which he copied or wrote out while he 
was in college and in the theological seminary. 

He entered Andover Theological Seminary, and in the 
fall of 1871, when I was in attendance at the meeting of 
the American Board at Salem, Mass., just before I sailed 
to Japan, Mr. Neesima elbowed his way through the great 
crowd and found me; and when I answered his eager 
question by stating that I was going to Japan, he seized 
my hand, and with tears in his eyes, told me how glad he 


Trials and Preparation 


37 


was to meet me, and he wished me a hearty God-speed, and 
said he hoped to go back too before long. 

In the winter of 1871-72 the second Japanese embassy, 
consisting of Messrs. Iwakura, Okubo, Kido, Ito, Tera- 
shima, and Tanaka, crossed the Pacific, and, after being 
snow-bonnd for a week at Salt Lake City, finally reached 
Washington. The embassy at once felt the need of some 
one to act as interpreter who could also help them in their 
examination of the institutions of these foreign lands, 
especially educational. Hearing of Mr. Neesima, who had 
then been in America about seven years, they sent him an 
invitation to come and meet them in Washington. Then 
the question of how to meet them arose in Mr. Neesima’s 
mind. It had been the custom in Japan from time im¬ 
memorial for a man to bow to the earth when meeting a 
superior, prostrating himself before him. Mr. Neesima 
finally decided to meet them in the American way, and 
went on to Washington. He was most cordially received 
by Mr. Mori, the Japanese minister at Washington. 
Twelve Japanese students, who were being supported in 
the United States by the Japanese government, had been 
summoned at the same time to meet the Japanese com¬ 
missioner of education. They all met in one of the par¬ 
lors of the Arlington House. The following are extracts 
from Mr. Neesima’s letters written at this time. 

a Mr. Mori said to the commissioner of education : 1 Mr. 
Neesima came here at my request, not as a bondman, but 
with his kindness to give you some advice concerning 
education ; so you must appreciate his kindness and will¬ 
ingness to do such a favor for you. . . . He is a lover of 
Japan, but not a slave.’ This speech pleased the com¬ 
missioner exceedingly, and made every one in the room 
look at me. When he noticed me standing erect he asked 
Mr. Mori whether the corner-stander was Mr, Neesima. 


38 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


When he ascertained that it was, he stepped forward from 
his seat, shook my hand, and made a most graceful yet 
most dignified bow to me, asking me to be a kind friend 
to him. He bowed himself sixty degrees from the per¬ 
pendicular, so I made a like bow in return. I could not 
help laughing in my heart that a behind or corner stander 
was so honored by him. He gave me an order to be an in¬ 
terpreter to him when he goes around the country to ex¬ 
amine the schools, and to tell him all about your school 
system. I told him if I am ordered to do this I would 
rather refuse it, because he should distinguish me from 
the others who received aid from the government; but if 
I am requested to do this for a certain compensation, I 
would gladly do any favor for him. The commissioner 
told Mr. Mori to treat and receive me exactly as I re¬ 
quested him.” 

Three days later he again writes at the close of a letter 
to Mr. and Mrs. Hardy: “ My principal mission is to write 
an essay on ‘ The Universal Education of Japan/ I think 
it is a most important mission. It will be handed to the 
embassy, and probably may be of some service for opening 
the country to the light of truth and life. Pray for this 
untiring soldier of the blessed cross, for I feel my active 
battle-field has come within my sight. I am ready to 
march forward, not asking whether my powder is dried 
or not, but trusting simply and believing only that the 
Lord of Hosts will help me to do my duty.” 

Again, two weeks later: “I have been resting to-day, 
preparing myself for the coming Lord’s Day; for if I 
overdo to-day I shall not be able to enjoy the service of 
the Sabbath.” 

Mr. Neesima now spent a year with the Japanese em¬ 
bassy, visiting all the capitals of Europe with them, and 
devoting all his energies to help them gain the informa- 


Trials and Preparation 


39 


tion they desired. His “ stableness ” and firm Christian 
principle shone out during this visit to Europe. In most 
European countries the railroad trains run on the Sabbath 
the same as on any other day, and the embassy often trav¬ 
eled on that day; Mr. Neesima, however, never traveled 
with them on the Sabbath. He told the writer that he 
always stopped off Saturday night, alone, and followed on 
after them on Monday. He spoke of one of these experi¬ 
ences, when he stopped off one Saturday night, in France, 
among entire strangers, and not knowing French, he ex¬ 
pected to have a lonely day; but he wandered about and 
succeeded in finding a place where a Christian service was 
being conducted, and, entering, found it was a communion 
service. He remained and partook of the communion 
with them, and although he could understand but very 
little, he spoke of it as among the most blessed experiences 
of his life. 

By his faithfulness and his conscientious adherence to 
principle he gained the confidence of these men, a con¬ 
fidence which lasted till the day of his death; and when 
he came back to Japan and wished to start his school, 
these men were at the head of the government, and to his 
intimacy with them and their firm confidence in him the 
Doshisha University owes its existence. 

Mr. Neesima’s careful habit of looking into all the de¬ 
tails of whatever came in his way to examine, and espe¬ 
cially his great interest in education, which had led him to 
make a careful examination of the common-school system 
of the United States, had prepared him to be of invalua¬ 
ble service to the embassy and to his country. He wrote 
out a carefully prepared paper, which was taken as the 
basis of the report which the embassy made on education, 
and which was afterward modified and introduced into 
Japan, and is the foundation of the sj^stem of education 
in the empire to-day. 


40 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


As the time drew near for the departure of the embassy 
from Europe, to return home by way of India, Mr. Neesima 
was pressed to accompany them to Japan, and it seemed 
that it would be almost impossible for him to refuse to do 
so $ but an attack of rheumatism coming on at this time, 
and the fear of becoming entangled in an official life, led 
him to remain behind, among strangers, until long after 
the embassy had sailed for Japan$ so that, on his recov¬ 
ery, he returned to his studies in Andover. 

He was very retired and studious in his manner, al¬ 
though his intense thirst for knowledge would lead him 
to break over his reserve and seek information from his 
fellow-students. He was greatly afflicted with rheumatism 
during his last year in the seminary, and suffered from 
its effects at times during the rest of his life. 

Being graduated in the summer of 1874, the questions of 
his return to Japan, what relation he should sustain to the 
American Board, his ordination, and his support, all came 
up for solution. It was finally decided that it was best 
that he should receive ordination before leaving for Japan, 
and a council of churches in the State where he had spent 
ten years was called. He passed a very satisfactory ex¬ 
amination, and was ordained as an evangelist—the first 
of his race to take upon himself this office. He was also 
appoin ted a corresponding member of the Japan mission 
of the American Board. Mr. Hardy also arranged to 
have sent to Mr. Neesima each year what he needed for 
his support, so that he was placed above anxiety on that ’ 
point. 

The following extracts from Mr. Neesima’s letter to the 
secretaries of the Board, formally offering himself as a 
missionary, and from his replies to the questions pro¬ 
pounded to candidates for appointment, will show the 
spirit of the man, and how his mind stood with reference 
to theology. 


Trials and Preparation 


41 


“ I date my conversion some time after my arrival in 
this country ; bat I was seeking God and his light from 
the hour I read his Word. With my new experience was 
horn a desire to preach the Gospel among my people. 
The motive in offering myself to this work is my sympa¬ 
thy with the need of my country, and love for perishing 
souls; and, above all, the love of Christ has constrained 
me to this work.” 

“ In my view, the leading doctrines of the Scriptures 
are: the existence of one true God, inspiration of the 
Scriptures, the Trinity, the decrees of God, the freedom 
of the will, the total depravity of man, the atonement, re¬ 
generation, justification by faith, the resurrection of the 
dead, the final judgment. I have not the least doubts 
respecting any of the doctrines commonly held by the 
churches sustaining the missions under the care of the 
Board. My confidence in the reality of my conversion is 
in my growing trust in Christ and increasing sympathy 
with truth. My views of ministerial duty are to preach 
the Gospel to the salvation of men. My desire to enter 
the ministerial work is due to the need of it in Japan, and 
my hope that I may be of some service in supplying that 
need. I expect to meet with some difficulties and trials, 
yet I shall count it all joy, not only to believe in Christ, 
but also to suffer for his name. It is my purpose to give 
my life to this work.” 

He was now ready to return to his loved land and 
friends, but there was still one thing which weighed upon 
his heart. He had come to America and seen for himself 
the light of Christian civilization j he had drunk deeply at 
the fountains of knowledge, and he felt an inexpressible 
longing to see such a fountain of true knowledge opened 
in his own land; he had not started on his world-wide 
quest for truth for himself—he came for the good of his 


42 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


people: should he go back with a full heart but with an 
empty hand 1 The same Hand which had so wonderfully 
led him to America, and which had taken care of him 
there and given him such a preparation for his work, led 
him farther to make an appeal which other hearts were 
ready to second, and so begin an enterprise which should 
be indeed a blessing to his whole people. 

I quote here from Mr. Neesima’s own words, written in 
a letter, the last one in English which his hand ever 
penned, written only a few days before his death. He 
says: “ Fifteen years ago I had a day-dream to found a 
Christian college. I used to express my intense desire to 
found it, especially to raise up Christian workers, to Dr. 
Clark, secretary of the American Board, and also to some 
other friends, but none of them gave me any encouraging 
words. However, I was not discouraged at all. I kept it 
within myself and prayed over it. 

II In the fall of 1874 I was invited to attend the annual 
meeting of said Board, which was held in Rutland, Yt., to 
bid my last farewell to my friends. I was ordered to 
appear on the platform on the very last day of the meet¬ 
ing. In the evening of the previous day I called on Mr. 
and Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, my benefactors, and consulted 
with them about the advisability of my bringing out my 
long-cherished scheme—that is, to found a Christian col¬ 
lege in Japan—in my farewell speech. Mr. Hardy was 
rather doubtful about my attaining any success$ how¬ 
ever, I rather insisted, because it was my last chance to 
bring out such a subject to such a grand Christian audi¬ 
ence. Then he spoke to me, half smiling, and in a most 
tender, fatherly manner said, 1 Joseph, the matter looks 
rather dubious, but you might try it.’ Receiving that 
consent I went back to the place where I was entertained 
and tried to make a preparation for the speech. I found 


Trials and Preparation 


43 


my heart throbbing, and was utterly unable to make a 
careful preparation. I was then like that poor Jacob, 
wrestling with God in my prayers. 

“ On the following day, when I appeared on the stage, 
I could hardly remember my prepared piece—a poor, 
untried speaker j but after a minute or two I recovered 
myself, and my trembling knees became firm and strong • 
a new thought flashed into my mind, and I spoke some¬ 
thing quite different from my prepared speech. My whole 
speech must have lasted less than fifteen minutes; while I 
was speaking I was moved with the most intense feeling 
over my fellow-countrymen, and I shed much tears, in¬ 
stead of speaking in their behalf. But before I closed my 
poor speech about five thousand dollars were subscribed 
on the spot to found a Christian college in Japan. That 
generous subscription of our American friends became 
the nucleus of the present Doshisha, which is now recog¬ 
nized as the best and largest Christian college in Japan.” 

The writer has heard from many persons who were 
present at that meeting that it was a scene never to be 
forgotten ; the intense earnestness of this young Japanese, 
as he spoke of the great blessings of a Christian educa¬ 
tion, and pictured to them, with broken voice and over¬ 
flowing eyes, the darkness and need of his own people; 
the evident nervousness of the secretaries at the manly 
appeal which was made, for the speaker said: u I cannot 
go back to Japan without the money to found a Christian 
college, and I am going to stand here till I get it.” Then 
Governor Page of Vermont arose and said: u Put me down 
for one thousand dollars.” Dr. Parker of Washington 
followed with five hundred dollars, Mr. Hardy with five 
hundred, William E. Dodge with five hundred, and others 
with lesser sums, until nearly five thousand dollars were 
raised. 



























































































































































































































































































































































Ill 

LAYING FOUNDATIONS 




45 


“ Behold, I lay in Sion for a Foundation a Stone, a tried Stone, a 
precious Corner-stone of sure Foundation: he that believeth shall not 
make haste." — Isa. xxyiii. 16. 

“ And not only so, but let us also rejoice in our tribulations : knowing 
that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, probation; and pro¬ 
bation, hope: and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God 
hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost which was 
given unto us." — Kom. v. 3-5. 

“ The good man does better than he knows." 

“ Fasten your soul so high that constantly 
The smile of your heroic cheer may float 
Above the floods of earthly agonies." 

E. B. Browning. 

u God’s glory is a wondrous thing, 

Most strange in all its ways, 

And, of all things on earth, least like 
What men agree to praise. 

“ Oh, blest is he to whom is given 
The instinct that can tell 
That God is on the field when he 
Is most invisible ! 

“And blest is he who can divine 
Where real right doth lie, 

And dares to take the side that seems 
Wrong to man’s blindfold eye ! 

“ Oh, learn to scorn the praise of men ! 

Oh, learn to lose with God ! 

For Jesus won the world through shame, 

And beckons thee his road. 

“And right is right, since God is God; 

And right the day must win ; 

To doubt would be disloyalty, 

To falter would be sin ! " 

Faber. 


46 


CHAPTER III 


LAYING FOUNDATIONS 

Mr. Neesima reached Japan in December, 1874. Great 
changes had taken place during his ten years of absence. 
The mikado was reinstated, his capital was changed from 
Kyoto—where his ancestors had ruled for a thousand 
years—to Tokyo ; the daimios had relinquished their feudal 
rights, and the pensions of their retainers were capitalized; 
the Julian or Gregorian calendar had been adopted, and 
the Sabbath was made a holiday j the post-office, with a 
money-order system, a savings-bank system, and a postal 
delivery system, was established; newspapers were being 
printed and circulated; an army and a navy on a foreign 
plan were formed; a mint was established; the coast was 
being surrounded with lighthouses; the first railroads 
were opened; and a network of telegraphs was unifying 
the old feudal kingdom. Most of these changes had taken 
place one or two years before Mr. Neesima returned. The 
great question of constitutional liberty was beginning to 
be agitated, and the men whose confidence and love Mr. 
Neesima had gained in his intercourse with the embassy, 
three years before, were at the head of the government. 
Their prejudices had been removed and their minds broad¬ 
ened by their intercourse with Western nations, and they 
were ready to encourage the adoption of Western civiliza¬ 
tion in their own empire. 


47 


48 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Mr. Neesima was offered, again and again, places of 
high position under these men, and urged to accept them, 
but he steadily declined. He allowed nothing to turn him 
from the great purpose of his life, to establish a Christian 
college in his native land. 

Soon after Mr. Neesima established the school in Kyoto, 
a high official sent him a letter, from which I extract the 
following: “ You have knowledge, you have wisdom, and, 
above all, you are still young. Why, then, are you retired 
in Kyoto, and passing your time with young boys and 
girls in leisure f It may be because you are so earnest in 
religion, but why do you not become a great public man, 
and extend your influence in the world?” Mr. Neesima 
replied as follows: u I am very thankful for your kind ad¬ 
vice. But suppose I should take a government position, 
how much benefit could I give to Japan ? Certainly very 
little. On the contrary, if I educate many young men and 
women here in this place of beautiful mountains and pure 
water, and produce hundreds and thousands of Neesimas 
who can work for this country, it will be of some benefit. 
This is the aim of my life.” 

Soon after landing in Yokohama he visited his aged 
parents, who had gone back to their native province, and 
were living in Annaka. There were at this time small 
churches in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, and Kobe, but it 
was hardly safe to profess Christianity even in the open 
ports. Away from the open ports there was very little, if 
any, effort on the part of any Japanese to teach the for¬ 
bidden doctrines. But no sooner did Mr. Neesima reach 
Annaka, seventy-five miles from Tokyo, than the people 
began to beg him to tell all about foreign countries, and 
he took that opportunity to openly tell them about Chris¬ 
tianity ; he did this so boldly for several days that the 
governor of that province became troubled. Mr. Neesima 


Laying Foundations 


49 


was plainly violating the old law, but yet he was no or¬ 
dinary person • he had been attached to the Iwakura em¬ 
bassy, and was already a widely known man. To arrest 
or even caution him might have some unknown results; 
so the governor went hastily in person to Tokyo, and laid 
the matter before some of the'men who were at the head 
of the government. They replied: u If it is Neesima, it is 
all right; let him alone j ” so the governor returned satis¬ 
fied, and a work was begun which resulted in the organi¬ 
zation of the Annaka church a few years later under the 
labors of Mr. Yebina. The Annaka church, with the five 
other churches within a very few miles which have sprung 
from it, make it probably the most thoroughly evangelized 
community in Japan. Several of the members of the first 
provincial assembly and a majority of the standing com¬ 
mittee were Christian men, and two thirds of the members 
of the first Imperial Diet elected from that province were 
Christians. 

In a letter to Mr. Hardy, Mr. Neesima recites the ex¬ 
periences of this period as follows: 

“ It was my intention to remain in Yokohama for three 
days when I arrived there j but when once I stepped on 
the dry land—my dear native soil—I could not wait even 
for three days. Hence I hurried home without stopping 
in Tokyo. When I came here it was midnightj therefore 
I disliked to disturb my parents 7 sleep, and slept in an inn. 
In the morning I sent word to my father. Then I came 
home, and was welcomed by my aged parents, sisters, 
neighbors, and old acquaintances. My father had been ill 
for three days, and could not move himself, on account of 
rheumatism; but when he heard of my safe arrival he rose 
up and welcomed me with fatherly tenderness. When I 
hailed him he stooped down without a word. I noticed 
his tears dropping on the floor. My old acquaintances 


50 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


gathered at our home, and requested me to tell them all 
my experiences in the United States. The people came 
here from the surrounding towns, even seven or eight 
miles away. They have kept me busy all the time. They 
look as sheep without a shepherd. I found it almost im¬ 
possible to send them back without giving them some 
spiritual food. 

“Soon after my arrival home I presented your kind 
letter to my father, but for a long time I could not trans¬ 
late it for him, because when I tried to read it I could 
not help thinking of the scene of my last departure 
from you. 

u Another day I gathered my parents and sisters, and 
succeeded in reading your letter to them. Before I got 
half through all of them began to weep, being much af¬ 
fected by your parental kindness to me. My father told 
me you were our saviors and our gods. Then I told him 
he must not make our American friends gods. If he feels 
grateful for their deeds he must worship that God, the 
only one God, the Creator of the universe, the Saviour of 
mankind, the God of his American friends. I mentioned, 
still further, that these friends became so good and kind, 
even to a wandering stranger, because they are true wor¬ 
shipers of God and the followers of Christ, who is, indeed, 
the Saviour of mankind. He came to this sinful world to 
save the poor and lost. These friends saved me from a 
miserable condition, and gave me necessary education, so 
that I might become a teacher of the glad tidings of sal¬ 
vation to our benighted people. Since that time my poor 
father has discontinued to worship the Japanese gods and 
his ancestors. By his consent I took down all the paper, 
wooden, earthen, and brass gods from shelves where they 
were kept, and burned them up. I send a few paper gods 
for you, which my mother threw into the fireplace. There 


Laying Foundations 


51 


are no gods or images in this house now. I trust they 
will be worshipers of the true God hereafter. 

u Besides my home friends, my humble labors with¬ 
in three weeks have been wonderfully blessed. I have 
preached several times in the school-house, and also 
preached to small audiences in families. A week ago I 
preached to a large audience in a Buddhist temple. All 
the priests in this community came and listened to the 
preaching of the new religion. There were over two 
hundred present, consisting of priests, laymen, and a few 
women and children. At my preaching in the school- 
house the whole body of magistrates from the city of 
Takasaki came to hear me preach. One of my hearers 
went home and took down all his gods, and has ceased to 
worship them. Thirty men in this town, and a few men 
out of the town, took up a collection to buy some Chris¬ 
tian books. One gave six dollars; the whole was $17.35. 
They requested me to buy the books. They are hungry 
and thirsty for the Christian truth. I find here everything 
ready for the Gospel.” 

On Mr. Neesima’s visit to Annaka dates the entrance of 
Christianity into the heart of Japan, and that was the be¬ 
ginning of the fearless preaching of the Gospel in the in¬ 
terior. 

After a few weeks spent with his friends in Annaka, 
preaching the Gospel, Mr. Neesima came on to Kobe and 
Osaka to confer in regard to the establishment of the 
Christian college. 

A short time before Mr. Neesima’s return our mission 
received a letter from Secretary Clark telling us that five 
thousand dollars were waiting to found a collegiate and 
theological training-school to train Christian workers for 
Japan. We had not yet begun to think of such a school, 
or at least we felt that it was far in the future. Our first 


52 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


two churches had been organized that year, one in Kobe 
with eleven members, and one in Osaka with seven mem¬ 
bers ; a few young men were found ready to listen to the 
truth, also, in Sanda, twenty miles from Kobe ; but the 
villages about Kobe and between Kobe and Osaka were so 
much opposed to Christianity that it was impossible to 
even teach a few men in an hotel, or tea-house. 

Mr. Neesima tried for several months to secure permis¬ 
sion from the governor of the Osaka-Fu to establish the 
college in that city. The governor told him he would ap¬ 
prove the establishment of the school there, but that no 
missionary should teach in it; so Mr. Neesima reluctantly 
gave up hope in Osaka, and then our thoughts were turned 
to Kyoto. But Kyoto was an interior city, where foreigners 
had never been allowed to reside; it had been the cen¬ 
ter of Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan for a thousand 
years; and, moreover, it was away from the centers of 
work which our mission had opened. 

The mission, however, gave a reluctant consent to the 
location of the school in Kyoto, if permission could be se¬ 
cured; and in the summer of 1875 Mr. Neesima went to 
Kyoto to see what could be done. The Lord had prepared 
the way before him; the city had been opened for one 
hundred days during the three previous years, while the 
exhibition was held there. Rev. O. H. Gulick had spent 
three months in the city during the summer of 1872, and 
had made the acquaintance of Mr. Yamamoto Kakuma, a 
blind man who was then a private counselor to the Kyoto- 
Fu. Others of our mission had met him during the next 
two summers, and he had become greatly interested in 
Christianity. When Mr. Neesima presented his plan for 
the establishment of a Christian college in Kyoto to Mr. 
Yamamoto, he was ready to give it his warm approval 
from the first, and he used his strong influence with the 


Laying Foundations 


governor of the Kyoto-Fu in the same direction, so that 
the governor also gave his approval to the scheme. 

The writer made a hasty visit to Kyoto in June of 1875, 
and, with Mr. Neesima, looked at a lot of land containing 
five and a half acres, 6500 tsubo, situated in the northern 
part of the city, just above the old palace grounds, and 
with a large temple grove of one hundred acres on the 
north side of it. This land was the former site of the 
palace of the Satsuma daimio, the last resident being 
Shimadzu Saburo. It was now in the possession of the 
blind Yamamoto, and he gladly sold it to us for the school 
for the sum of five hundred and fifty dollars.* 

Thus the site for the school was secured. What should 
be its name ? Many were thought of, but finally the name 
u Doshisha” was decided upon; this means one endeavor, 
or one purpose company. Mr. Neesima was in Kyoto all 
the summer of that year except during a hurried visit to 
Tokyo. Although the approval of the local government 
had been secured for the location of the school in Kyoto, 
the approval of the central government was necessary. A 
building must also be secured for the school, and permis¬ 
sion for a missionary to reside in Kyoto and teach in the 
school. Mr. Neesima was busy with all these plans, and 
his heart was stirred also to find some way by which the 
Gospel could be freely taught in the school and in the city, 
and all over the empire. 

He writes August 2d: “I had a most interesting inter¬ 
view with Mr.-, a young man who is connected with 

the educational department at Tokyo. He told me that 
he would do his best to allow missionaries to be hired in 

* It is an interesting fact that Mr. Yamamoto was confined a 
prisoner in a low room on this very ground for two years during the 
war of the restoration, and was there attacked with that rheumatism 
which made him a cripple till the day of his death. 



54 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


our Kyoto school; but for teaching Christianity in it, he 
has no power to say much, because as Christian religion 
it comes under Dai-kyo-in, or department of religion. I 
think it would not do for us to present this matter to Dai- 
kyo-in, because they will never do us any favor. So I 
think a best way will be to try to get religious freedom in 
the empire. I will write to our influential men in the 
cabinet and induce them to work for it. Mr.-prom¬ 

ised me to work for it privately among the radical states¬ 
men. He rather asked me to come to Tokyo to see them 
myself. In the first place I must get a letter from my 
native province which will assure the Kyoto government 
that I belong to that ken, and will henceforth become a 
citizen of Kyoto. Then I can make my religious faith 
known to the Kyoto government ; it will be the very first 
thing ever done in Kyoto. I think the Kyoto government 
will present the matter to the central government. If case 
requires, I will present myself to the central government j 
then, as I said above, in the mean time I will work privately 
for religious freedom among the radical statesmen. I 
think this is the only way to get Kyoto open for our 
Christian institution.” 

August 24th he writes: “ I have already presented the 
petition for our school, and especially for hiring a mis¬ 
sionary; and in order to gain the governor’s favor I 
made a friendly call on him last night. He strongly ad¬ 
vised me to go to Tokyo as soon as possible, or not any 
later than our petition reaches the central government. I 
am deliberately following the advice of the governor, who 
so recently came back from Tokyo and knows exactly the 
present state of things in the central government.” 

Mr. Neesima hurried off by jinrikisha overland to To¬ 
kyo, and reached there as soon as the petition did. He 
saw Mr. Tanaka, who was at the head of the department 



Laying Foundations 


55 


of education. Mr. Tanaka was Mr. Neesima’s special 
friend, having become such while they were in Europe to¬ 
gether. He told him, however, at first, that it would be 
impossible to grant permission for a Christian school to 
be opened in the city of Kyoto; it was regarded as the 
sacred city of the empire, and he feared great opposition 
and prejudice on the part of the people. Mr. Neesima saw 
him repeatedly during three days, and Mr. Tanaka finally 
told him that if he would be very careful not to do any¬ 
thing to arouse the opposition of the.people he would grant 
the permission. Thus the permission was finally granted 
to open the school in Kyoto. Mr. Neesima also formed a 
company, consisting of himself and Mr. Yamamoto, to open 
the school, hire teachers, etc.; this company of two was 
the Doshisha for several years. 

The writer having been engaged as the first foreign 
teacher in the school, Mr. Neesima wrote, October lltli, 
in regard to a house for my family and one for the school. 
In this letter he says: “I hope his reply will come within 
to-day. I think it is pretty early for me to say to-day—it 
is now 3.30 a.m. I awoke at a quarter before two o’clock, 
and could not sleep again, so I got up some time after two 

o’clock and wrote a pretty long letter to Mr.-to get 

permission to rent his house. Can you do anything for 
this sleepless old fellow ? I am exceedingly tired, but can’t 
sleep.” Again, October 16th, five days later, he writes: 
“ I have been sleepless these past five nights, but I slept 
first-rate last night. I hope I shall do so again to-night. 
My hope for Kyoto was quite brightened up.” The reason 
for his brighter hopes was that the permission for my resi¬ 
dence in Kyoto, which had been pending so long, and for 
which he had been writing and telegraphing to Tokyo, had 
come, and the way was open for him to commence the 
school. He had had a long and anxious summer. 



56 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


I entered Kyoto with my family October 19th, and set¬ 
tled down in a part of the old Yanagiwara yashiki on the 
east side of the imperial palace, and Mr. Neesima had a 
little house on Shin Karasumaru, above Maruta Machi. 
Mr. Neesima had a small company to whom he preached 
and taught the Bible in his own house each Sabbath all 
summer $ I began a similar service in my house the first 
Sabbath we were in the city, and only six were present; 
but both audiences increased so that in a few weeks they 
numbered from thirty to sixty. 

We had hardly entered the city, however, before the 
Buddhist priests held many meetings and finally sent a 
strong petition to the central government asking to have 
us expelled. I find written in my diary of November 
19th: “ The opposition of the priests is having its effect 
upon the officials of the city: they are less friendly. The 
acorn is in the bottle, however, and it will, in time, with 
God’s blessing, split the bottle.” 

Mr. Neesima made applications about this time for 
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Learned to teach in the school, and he 
was very greatly tried for five months before they were 
granted. I will quote from my diary of Monday, Novem¬ 
ber 22 d, to show how he was tried: “ Mr. Neesima has 
called several times during the last week or two to see the 
governor, but always found him not at home. Friday 
evening last he called again, and was told that he was too 
busy to see him; he went early Saturday morning, and was 
told that it was too early 5 he went a little later, and was 
told that the governor was about starting for the office; 
he inquired through the servant if he could see him in the 
evening, and was told that he could not promise; he went 
home, and yesterday he received notice to appear at the 
office this morning and explain what he meant by Seisho, 
Bible, in the list of studies as put forth in the program of 


Laying Foundations 


57 


the school.” The only result of the sending of the strong 
petition of the priests to Tokyo, so far as we know, was 
that Mr. Tanaka, the head of the department of education, 
sent a request to the governor of Kyoto, asking that, for 
the present, we would not teach the Bible in the school. 
Mr. Neesima gave him a written promise to that effect on 
the 22d of November. The governor told him that we 
could teach Christianity in the school under the name of 
moral science, and teach everything there except Bible 
exegesis, and that we could teach that and preach in our 
homes. This request was made by Mr. Tanaka for fear 
of trouble in the city, as there was great excitement about 
our coming to open a Christian school. The owner of the 
building we had rented for the school had given Mr. Nee¬ 
sima notice that he wanted his house for himself, and that 
we could not have it; but after this Bible-teaching was 
arranged with the governor the owner concluded to let us 
have it. 

From my diary, November 29, 1875: “We began our 
school this morning in Mr. Neesima’s house at eight 
o’clock, with a prayer-meeting, in which all the scholars 
took part; then, going to the school-house, two others 
were received, making seven boarding scholars and one 
day-scholar.” I never shall forget Mr. Neesima’s tender, 
tearful, earnest prayer in his house that morning as we 
began the school; all prayed from the heart. December 
4th we had twelve scholars. We worked on through the 
winter, the school growing gradually, until we had about 
forty scholars, the attendance at the Sabbath services in¬ 
creasing, until sixty or seventy were present. The passes 
for Drs. Taylor and Learned, which gave Mr. Neesima 
trouble all winter, were finally sent on to Tokyo, and 
granted in March, 1876. 






















































































































































































































































































IV 

MARRIAGE, TRIALS, AND WORK 


59 


“ In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in 
honor preferring one another; in diligence not slothful; fervent in 
spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; 
continuing steadfastly in prayer .”— Rom. xii. 10-12. 

“ For marriage is a matter of more worth 
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship ; 

For what is wedlock forced but a hell, 

An age of discord and continual strife ; 

Whereas the contrary bringeth forth happiness, 

And is a pattern of celestial bliss.” 

Shakespeare. 

“ Sorrow and silence are strong, 

And patient endurance is godlike.” 

Longfellow. 

“ Leave God to order all thy ways, 

And hope in him, whatever betide ; 

Thou’lt find him in the evil days 
An all-sufficient strength and guide ; 

Who trusts in God’s unchanging love 
Builds on a rock that naught can move.” 

Georg Neumark. 

“ Life is real, life is earnest, 

And the grave is not its goal; 

I Bust thou art, to dust returnest, } 

Was not spoken of the soul. 

“ Let us then be up and doing, 

With a heart for any fate: 

Still achieving, still pursuing, 

Learn to labor and to wait.” 

Longfellow. 

II Blind unbelief is sure to err, 

And scan his work in vain; 

God is his own interpreter, 

And he ivill make it plain.” 

Cowper. 



CHAPTER IV 


MARRIAGE, TRIALS, AND WORK 

Soon after Mr. Neesima came to Kyoto he became ac¬ 
quainted with Yamamoto Yaye, a sister of the blind coun¬ 
selor of the Kyoto-Fu; and, meeting her repeatedly at her 
brother’s house, acquaintance ripened into affection, and 
in the autumn of that year they were engaged. 

On Sabbath, January 2, 1876, the Lord’s Supper and 
also the ordinance of baptism were celebrated for the first 
time in the city, at the regular service at my house. Ya¬ 
mamoto O Yaye received baptism at that time, and the 
next day, January 3d, in the presence of all the members 
of our school, of the ex-daimio of Tango and his daughter, 
of several friends whom we had made in the city, and of 
Mr. Yamamoto’s family, Mr. Neesima and O Yaye were 
united in marriage. This proved a very happy union, 
and Mr. Neesima had a faithful, loving wife during all the 
years until God called him up higher. 

In the letters he wrote us from America, while there in 
1885, it was very touching to see how much he felt the 
separation from Mrs. Neesima, and how he also remem¬ 
bered to ask us to help her bear her loneliness. 

Mr. Sears, a wealthy Boston gentleman, whose acquain¬ 
tance Mr. Neesima made while in the United States, sent 
out a sum of money for Mr. Neesima to use to build him a 
comfortable home, and also another sum to build a chapel. 

61 


62 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


He secured a large lot on Teramaclii, above Maruta Machi, 
and there built a home for himself. It was several years 
before we could secure any places in the city for preach¬ 
ing, and a service was held at Mr. Neesima’s house, and 
the school met at my house each Sabbath afternoon for 
more than two years. At this latter preaching service 
more than two hundred people often gathered to hear the 
Gospel, and, as the house became too small, the money 
given by Mr. Sears was used to build a chapel near by. 
Mr. Neesima used often to preach in those days, and his 
sermons were intensely earnest and impressive. 

To show the difficulty we encountered in trying to teach 
Christianity at this time one example may be given. A 
physician in Fushimi, a southern suburb of Kyoto, asked 
us to come down to his house and teach the Gospel; the 
writer went down one Sabbath and gave him and a few of 
his friends who had assembled in his house a talk about 
the true Godj the next Sabbath Mr. Neesima went down 
and talked to the five or six people who assembled; for 
this the physician was summoned to appear at the Kyoto- 
Fu, and told that he must not allow such meetings at his 
house. All who had listened or who had received any 
tracts were also summoned to appear at the office, and 
very closely questioned and frightened. The physician 
was thus summoned on three separate occasions. 

The following is a part of the conversation which oc¬ 
curred between the Fu officials and this physician on the 
last day, when he was discharged: “ This Davis came up 
here to teach an English school, did he not?” “Yes.” 
“Then he is like a man who has a license to sell deer 
meat, but who sells dog meat?” “Well, is it dog meat? 
I used to think so, but on tasting of it I find it is a great 
deal better than deer meat; and I would like to ask you 
one question: this way is allowed to be taught publicly in 



NEESIMA’S WIFE AND MOTHER 













































































































. 






















































. 


























































Marriage , Trials , ant? Worft 


£3 


Kobe, in Osaka, and in twenty or thirty places in Tokyo; 
how is it that here, in the Kyoto-Fn, a man is not allowed 
to hear it in his own house ? Are we not all under the 
same government? I do not understand it.” “Well,” 
says the official, “ I do not say that way is either good or 
bad, and I do not say that you and your friends cannot 
hear it in your house; but you let in the common people, 
the lower classes, who cannot understand it; we cannot 
allow this. We have good and sufficient religions here in 
Japan—we do not want any more; we have Confucianism 
for the scholars like you, and Buddhism for the masses.” 
The doctor replied: “ I would like to ask you one thing: If 
Confucianism is an all-sufficient religion, why is it, since 
its founder lived hundreds of years before Christ, and 
taught during a long life, that this way has not spread 
beyond China and Japan? So if Buddhism is an all- 
sufficient religion, started by Buddha hundreds of years 
before Christ, and taught by him through a long life, how 
is it that it has not spread beyond India, China, and 
Japan ? And if Christianity is a bad way, how is it, since 
its founder only taught three years, and was put to death 
when he was thirty-three years old, that it has spread all 
over Europe and America, and is spreading all over Africa 
and Asia and all the islands of the sea?” “Well, we do 
not say that it is either good or bad, but you must not 
allow people to meet at your house, and you are dis¬ 
charged,” replied the official. The physician came from 
the Fu right to my house and told me this, and I copied 
it into my diaiy. He borrowed a quantity of books and 
tracts, took them home, and lent them to his neighbors; 
but his practice gradually fell off, and he came near to 
starvation, so prejudiced did the people become against 
him; and he finally lost his interest in Christianity. 

This opposition on the part of officials, and the fact 


64 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


that the Bible was not allowed to be taught in the school, 
caused much dissatisfaction in the mission, so that after 
the permission for Drs. Taylor and Learned had been 
granted, and before they moved into the city, about the 
middle of March, a special meeting of the mission was 
called in Osaka, and half a day was spent over the ques¬ 
tion of abandoning Kyoto, and locating the school where 
the missionaries could be free to live and to teach the 
Bible. Although one of the mission afterward said it was 
u the most reluctant vote the mission ever gave,” the vote 
was given to remain, none dissenting. A few months 
later, the last of June, a vote was given by the mission to 
approve of the erection of two buildings on the ground 
bought for the school. It was a very reluctant vote, but 
the fact that most thought it very doubtful if the erection 
of the buildings would be allowed by the government 
helped the doubtful ones, and the vote was given, none 
dissenting; one brother said, however, “Brethren, you 
may just as well try to fly to Mars as to try to put up 
those buildings; it will not be allowed.” In just three 
months and twenty days from that time this brother sang 
in the new buildings, “ We’ll hold the fort,” etc., and took 
part in the exercises of dedication. 

As the buildings stood completed, and the day ap¬ 
pointed to open the school in them drew near, the tempo¬ 
rary restriction in regard to the Bible still held. Many 
of the members of the mission were greatly exercised 
about opening the training-school of the mission in the 
new buildings; some were in favor of demanding the re¬ 
moval of the restriction, and, in case it was refused, then 
of abandoning everything—buildings, work, and all—and 
of leaving the city. One brother wrote: “ We have no 
training-school; the school that will begin next week will 
not be the training-school,” etc. Another brother wrote 


Marriage, Trials , and Work 65 

that he did not believe that we would be allowed to teach 
the Bible and pray in the school for three or five years, 
perhaps not for fifteen or twenty years yet. 

Within one of a majority of the members of the mission 
signed a call for a special meeting to reconsider the whole 
question of the location of the school in Kyoto, and decide 
whether we should open the school in the new buildings. 
One member of the mission had just started overland to 
Tokyo, and was at this very time weather-bound by a 
three days’ storm of wind and rain, and wondering why 
he was permitted to start. Had he been within reach the 
meeting would have been called, and no one can predict 
what would have been the result. But the meeting was 
not called, and after consultation with Mr. Yamamoto it 
was decided, since the excitement in the city had com¬ 
pletely subsided, to dedicate the new buildings with relig¬ 
ious exercises, to have morning prayers in the chapel, to 
open all the recitations of the theological department with 
prayer, and to teach all the studies and give all the lec¬ 
tures of the theological department, except Bible exegesis, 
in the new building, and to secure a third building in Mr. 
Neesima’s name for the exegesis. The new buildings were 
dedicated on the morning of September 18, 1876; they 
consisted of what are now known as dormitories No. 1 and 
No. 2. The exercises consisted of a prayer of invocation, 
reading the Scriptures, sketch of the founding of the 
school, prayer of dedication, addresses in Japanese and 
English, and the singing of two hymns in Japanese and 
three in English. 

At this time Mr. Neesima wrote as follows to Mr. and 
Mrs. Hardy: “ I must express my heartfelt thanks to you 
for your having led and educated me in such a way that I 
might found a Christian institution on my dearly beloved 
soil. As you know we started our school in a hired house, 


66 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


but, having found this very inconvenient, we began the 
process of building two months ago. The buildings are 
three in number, two of which contain recitation-rooms 
and twenty-four rooms for students, while the other is a 
small structure and is used for a dining-room and kitchen. 
They are simple but solid, and look very pretty in the 
open space about them. We were permitted to dedicate 
them to the Lord the day before yesterday. . . . All but 
two of our Kyoto mission were present, and about seventy 
students, besides others from outside. Mr. Yamamoto’s 
remarks were wonderfully appropriate. He is regarded 
as one of our best thinkers, although bodily feeble and 
helpless. The existence of the Kyoto mission is largely 
due to him. He was convinced that an immoral country 
like Japan could not be purified by any other means than 
Christianity, and by his influence and labor the proud and 
dignified governor listened to us, and at last smiled upon 
our efforts. In .the dark and trying hours of last winter 
he stood up for us and did his best to persuade the gov¬ 
ernor. The latter made no interference with our dedi¬ 
cation exercises. You will be glad to know that of our 
forty-seven boarding students more than half are Chris¬ 
tians. They have come to us with the purpose of study¬ 
ing the Bible and fitting themselves for the ministry. We 
are very fortunate to get such pupils at the outset. I pray 
that this school may be the nucleus of a future college 
and university for Japan. Our mission work has also 
bright prospects, the work being chiefly carried on by our 
students. A third church will soon be formed. My aged 
parents now worship God instead of idols, and my invalid 
sister, who grasps spiritual things faster than these aged 
ones, takes part in the prajrer-meetings for women held at 
my house. My wife attends the biblical exercises in the 
school. We are perfectly happy together, and I am try- 




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Marriage, Trials, and Work 67 

ing to make my home like the Christian home I found in 
America.” 

Earlier than this Mr. Neesima had written to Mr. and 
Mrs. Hardy: “We are hated by the magistrates and 
priests, but we have planted the standard of truth here, 
and will never more retreat. To no one else but you will 
I say that this Christian school could have no existence 
here if God had not brought this poor runaway boy to 
your kind hands. The only way to get along in this 
country is to work courageously, even under many diffi¬ 
culties.” 

The first theological hall, shown in the engraving, 
was used for Bible-teaching for several years, until this 
could be taught in the regular school-buildings. This old 
“No. 30,” as it was called, was a great contrast to the 
present beautiful theological hall, the gift of Mrs. Clarke 
of Brooklyn, in memory of her son. 

The following extracts from letters written by members 
of the mission in 1875-76 will show how much the mission 
valued the work and influence of Mr. Neesima at this 
time: “ Your contribution of Mr. Neesima to our mission 
and the cause of Christ in Japan is one whose value we 
feel no multiple of the sum you have invested in his edu¬ 
cation can represent. We are charmed by his thoroughly 
Christian spirit. ... I cannot say a tithe of what is in 
my heart. . . . There seems no doubt but that his whole 
life, being, and purpose are consecrated to the Master for 
the redemption of his people. . . . He is profoundly grate¬ 
ful to you and to the American Board for what you and 
it have done for him and his land; and he accepts the will 
of the board and of our mission as God’s will, no matter 
how it differs from his own. ... If he is guided aright 
by God’s Spirit, and kept firm to his purpose and work, if 
his health is spared, I feel that he is destined to accom- 


68 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


plish as much, perhaps, as all our mission put together. 
. . . We need him for a larger place than a pastorate. 
We need him as a teacher in the training-school. He is 
better fitted for some department of teaching than any 
foreigner ever can be. We also need him as an evangel¬ 
ist—not to use his influence always in the same place, but 
to go about awakening interest. . . . For a long time 
after his return we feared he would break entirely down. 
He was able to sleep but very little. He told me several 
times during those first few months that when he thought 
about these millions of his people passing into eternity 
without a knowledge of Christ, it seemed as if he would 
go crazy. Since the opening of the year he has gradually 
improved, and is sleeping better. This is partly due to 
the successful starting of the school, and his steady work 
there; but largely, also, to his marriage and settlement in 
a happy home of his own.” 

The constant opposition on the part of the Kyoto-Fu to 
the school, the fact that the Bible could not be taught in 
the school-buildings, and that so large a number of the mis¬ 
sion were not satisfied to have the school opened and car¬ 
ried on in the new buildings, etc., led to continued criticism 
of the school, and also to criticism of Mr. Neesima as the 
virtual Japanese head of the school. He felt these most 
keenly. He loved the members of the Japan mission, and 
he was ever loyal to it; and anything which seemed to im¬ 
ply the contrary pained him beyond measure. So great did 
the trial become that in September, 1876, the members of 
the station sent a letter to the members of the mission to try 
to remove some of these misunderstandings. I will quote 
a fe\v words from that letter, as they bring out one of Mr. 
Neesima’s remarkable characteristics : “ Still farther, Mr. 
Neesima and Mr. Yamamoto, as the nominal proprietors 
of the school, so far from interfering with our manage- 


Marriage , Trials , and Work 


69 


ment of the school, have from the first left everything in 
our own hands; the exercises of the dedication, the man¬ 
ner of conducting morning prayers, what to teach, when 
to teach, how to teach, the employment of Japanese teach¬ 
ers, the ringing of the bell, the management of the food 
—all these things, instead of being suggested by them, 
have been suggested by us, and none of them even re¬ 
ferred to Mr. Yamamoto at all, and not half of them to 
Mr. Neesima; and yet, so far as we know, Mr. Neesima 
has never hinted or thought a word of complaint, or 
asked that anything be changed. He even conies to us 
to consult about all the little details of his own classes. 
He has not expended a cent of the money which has been 
sent to him to use as he pleased for the school without 
first consulting us, and he has then invariably followed 
out our suggestions. We have been as free to run the 
school to suit ourselves, from our first connection with it, 
as if there had been no Japanese proprietors, or as if it 
had been located in Chicago.” This can almost as truly 
be said after fourteen years as after one year. 

We must now notice at some length another wonderful 
work—hardly less wonderful than the calling and prepa¬ 
ration of Mr. Neesima. In the month of February, 1876, 
in the darkest days of that first winter, when the opposi¬ 
tion was so great that it often seemed as if we must fail 
of our object of establishing a school in Kyoto, the writer 
received a large letter by the Japanese post. The hand¬ 
writing was strange j the name, too, was strange. It was 
written from the old castle town of Kumamoto, in the 
middle of the island of Kiushu, by Captain L. L. Janes. 
In it he asked if we could receive into our school a 
number of earnest Christian young men, graduates of his 
school, to fit them for work as preachers of the Gospel. 
We did not know that such a man was in existence j we 


70 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


did not know that such a school was in existence. How 
did all this happen ? 

The following is a translation (made by a Japanese) of 
an account of the work of Captain Janes, prepared by 
Paul Kanamori, one of his pupils, who was a leading 
member of the Kumamoto Band: 

“ In 1871, Captain L. L. Janes came to Kumamoto upon 
the invitation of the daimio of Higo, and established a 
school where foreign knowledge was to be taught. The 
daimio was decided in his desire for a military officer, be¬ 
cause he feared that if he employed an ordinary scholar 
the youths of the province would fall into literary weak¬ 
ness, and so the bold spirit of the province would be lost. 
So he employed this learned and valorous officer in order 
to introduce the sciences of the West, and at the same 
time stimulate the military spirit of the young men. 

11 Captain Janes having been employed with this end in 
view, his circumstances were very different from those of 
the missionaries. At that time Japan was still unenlight¬ 
ened, particularly in the vicinity of Kumamoto. The 
number of men who were yet opposed to Christianity was 
very great, so that even the lives of Captain and Mrs. 
Janes were by no means free from danger. The pupils 
were largely sons of the rough and turbulent men of the 
place, and it may be readily seen that to teach Christian¬ 
ity to them was a very delicate and difficult task. No 
pupil could understand English, and Captain Janes did 
not understand the Japanese language, so that the diffi¬ 
culty of communication was extreme. 

“For the first two or three years Captain Janes said 
little or nothing about Christianity, but gave his whole 
strength to teaching English and the sciences; but he 
was so kind and fatherly in his treatment of his pupils 


Marriage, Trials, and Work 


71 


that they came to forget that he was a foreigner, and they 
gladly listened to whatever he said to them. 

“ As he was a fervent Christian his desire to preach to 
the pupils must have been intense; but under the circum¬ 
stances he wisely contented himself with first seeking to 
win his pupils’ hearts as the best possible preparation for 
the future sowing of the Gospel seed. After he had been 
there about three years he one day said to us, * I shall 
teach the Bible on Sunday; any one who wishes may 
come to my house.’ We still hated Christianity as though 
it were a snake, and did not like even to see a Bible; but 
we so respected him that we concluded to go to the meet¬ 
ing. One of us went to the teacher of Chinese and asked 
his consent. He replied that we might go to learn about 
Christianity, not to believe it, but to study its strong and 
weak points in order to oppose it. And so, of the few 
who went, some went simply out of curiosity, others for 
amusement, others that they might oppose—none with a 
desire to accept it. The portions of the New Testament 
that we read had no flavor for us, and the time seemed 
spent in vain. But our teacher was kind and assiduous 
in his teaching, and fervent in his prayers for us. Dur¬ 
ing his prayer, which seemed tedious to us, we sometimes 
opened our eyes and looked upon his face with its closed 
and tearful eyes, and then we laughed, saying that 1 Amer¬ 
icans weep.’ At this time he simply taught the Bible, and 
never exhorted us to become Christians; and when two 
of us thought to impose upon him by pretending that we 
wished to become preachers, he met them sternly, saying, 
1 You are not yet worthy to become preachers; go on with 
your Bible study.’ A year later, in 1875, a few were really 
touched by the Gospel, and this was followed by a divi¬ 
sion of the students into two parties, the one favorable to 


72 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Christianity, the other seeking to oppose it by reviving 
the study of 1 The Great Learning ’ and 1 The Doctrine of 
the Mean/ as taught by the Chinese sages. In August 
of the same year, Captain Janes added preaching to his 
biblical instruction. His sermons were long—sometimes 
three hours long—but as we had become interested in 
Christianity they were never tiresome to ns. All who 
attended these meetings were studying the Confucian 
morality at the house of the Chinese teacher every Sun¬ 
day afternoon, and so, for a while, we were studying 
Christianity with Captain Janes in the mornings and 
Confucianism with the Chinese teacher in the afternoons. 
For about six months we were thus divided in our ad¬ 
miration for Christianity and Confucianism, but by the 
end of the year all except one or two were united in their 
belief in Christianity. 

“ By Captain Janes’s advice some of us spent the New 
Year’s vacation in the study of the Gospel of John, and 
in prayer to God for his blessing upon ourselves and our 
classmates. When the new term opened these Christian 
students had a faith which burned like fire, so that they 
could not but preach to their fellow-students and try to 
lead them to the gate of salvation. The whole school was 
like a boiling caldron; the studies were neglected, and 
groups of five, six, or seven men began to study the Bible 
in the recitation-rooms, the dining-room, or in their pri¬ 
vate rooms. These students had but little knowledge of 
the Bible or of theology, but they were impelled to preach, 
even though some of them were not more than twelve 
years old. The recitations were suspended, and Captain 
Janes gave himself to the work of preaching the Gospel 
to the students. We had not even heard of the word 
1 revival,’ and knew nothing of the special workings of the 
Holy Spirit. We wondered why our spirits burned like a 


Marriage, Trials , and Work 


73 


fire, and why we preached the Gospel like madmen. One 
said, ‘ May not this be the work of the Holy Spirit men¬ 
tioned in the Bible!’ And others answered , 1 Yes, it may 
be/ Our preaching was not confined to the school, but 
found its way to the servants of the teachers, our kindred 
in our homes, old men and women in the streets, and so on. 

u Now I must speak of one who was secretly praying 
in her closet, who received an open reward from her 
Heavenly Father. This was Mrs. Janes. She had no 
acquaintance with the students, but for many months her 
mind had been filled with intense desire for the salvation 
of the students, and she prayed day and night for the 
Holy Spirit to come upon them. This was the hidden 
cause of the revival. This revival continued for about a 
month, and those who confessed faith in Christ numbered 
over forty, and more than forty others were studying the 
Bible. On the last Sunday in January (January 30,1876), 
a beautiful springlike day, the Christian students went 
out to a hill, Hana-oka-yama, southwest of Kumamoto—a 
hill since made famous as the spot where Saigo Takamori 
placed his cannon to bombard Kumamoto. They went 
singing hymns as they climbed the hill, and, taking their 
seats in a circle on its summit, they made a solemn cove¬ 
nant together, that as they had been thus blessed by God 
in advance of all their countrymen, they would labor to 
enlighten the darkness of the empire by preaching the 
Gospel, even at the sacrifice of their lives. ‘ They prayed 
kneeling, and wrote an oatli-paper, on which they signed 
and sealed their names/ 

“ The fact that this covenant had been made became 
known, and all those connected with the school cried out 
in dismay, ‘Alas! the students have become Christian 
priests. Captain Janes has made Christians of them. If 
this be not stopped our hopes for the school will be gone/ 


74 


Joseph Hardy Xeesima 


“At this time the life of Captain Janes was in great 
danger, and the Christian students were persecuted in a 
thousand ways, for Christianity was looked upon as a kind 
of witchcraft. One mother said to her son, 1 If you don’t 
abandon Christianity I must kill myself in order to wipe 
out the stain which you have cast upon your ancestors.’ 
A father said, ‘ If you don’t give up your faith I will kill 
you immediately.’ One student was confined in his room 
for one hundred days, and was finally driven from home. 
There was not one who was not more or less persecuted. 
On this account the number fell off to less than thirty. 
But the true believers, although the oldest was under 
twenty years of age, were immovable in their faith, and 
ready even to sacrifice their lives. They were constantly 
encouraged and comforted by Captain Janes, and enabled 
to stand against the persecutions, which continued for 
about six months j so that the believers not only gained 
the victory, but were made all the stronger by their per¬ 
secutions. By the following autumn, Captain Janes left 
Kumamoto, and the Christians went to the Doshisha 
school in Kyoto, to prepare themselves more fully for the 
preaching of the Gospel.” 

The following is a translation of the covenant referred 
to, which was drawn up and signed by the Kumamoto 
Band at this time: 

“When we first studied the Western religion we were 
greatly impressed, and as we afterward studied it more 
we were still more impressed, and were impelled to accept 
it with great joy; and now we wish to spread this religion 
in this empire, and thus enlighten the ignorance of the 
people. The fact, however, that the people do not under¬ 
stand the wonderful doctrine of the Western religion, and 
so obstinately hold to their old opinions, is a great sor- 



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Marriage , Trials , and Work 


75 


row. At this time, if any one has patriotism, he ought to 
rise up with enthusiasm and account his life as dust, and 
bear witness to the catholicity and greatness of the West¬ 
ern religion. This is what we ought to do with all our 
might. Therefore, holding the same principles, we meet 
together on Hana-oka-yama and affirm our desire to work 
together for this religion with one accord. 

“ 1. Those who have entered this religion must unite 
together with brotherly love, and mutually watch over 
and approve each other, separating from evil and cleav¬ 
ing to good j and thus practically show forth our faith by 
our works. 

u 2. If, after once entering this way, one does not follow 
it, he lies against God and deceives his own heart; such 
an one will certainly receive punishment from God. 

“ 3. At the present time, since many of the people of 
this empire deny the Western religion, if one of our num¬ 
ber wanders from this way he will not only deserve the 
public reproach, but we shall finally fail of obtaining our 
great purpose $ hence how careful should we be to fulfil 
this pledge! 

“ Hana-oka-yama, January 30, 1876, Sabbath.” 

As showing the spirit of the man who was the in¬ 
strument in God’s hands to do this wonderful work, 
and also some phases of that work, I will quote from 
some of Captain Janes’s letters received during those 
trying months. In his first letter, dated February 7, 
1876, he says: “My work in the school has been accom¬ 
panied, from the time when it was possible to speak of 
Christianity, by constant and direct religious instruction 
of my pupils; in fact, the whole work has been inspired 
from the first with the one aim, on my part, of making it, 
under God, subserve the founding and upbuilding here of 


70 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


the kingdom of Christ, and so the highest welfare of those 
committed to my instruction and the large community 
influenced by them and the school.” Again he writes, 
March 4th: “ Meantime, my boys and I have been passing 
through unusual events, to say the least j and the mutter- 
ings of a sharp, vindictive, and exciting persecution are 
still in the air around us.” u I think the little colony is 
practically intact j no lives have been taken, though that 
was threatened seriously enough; and there are no cases 
of hara-kiri yet to report, though a mother in one family 
and a father in another took that method of driving their 
sons from the faith • their degradation was declared to be 
insupportable.” “ I grieve over my imprisoned Christian 
boys. The physical strength of one is failing, and the 
unthinking persecutors may kill him. I understand there 
was an auto da fe of his Bibles a few days since.” 

Again, May 25th: u They blame me here, by implica¬ 
tion, for educating preachers; I say nothing, but I have 
come to see that they need preachers and teachers of the 
‘ True Light ’ more than any other educated workmen. 
The sham civilization they would build of a film of West¬ 
ern materialism dignified by the name of science and 
civilization, leaving the soul and all its needs unprovided 
for, is a hollow bubble that will burst one of these days. 
It is easy enough to kick a hole through it now; and un¬ 
less the successive accretions are made to crystallize around 
the central principles of truth, justice, and liberty, and a 
wisdom large enough to satisfy the soul—Christ, the souks 
want; God, the souks author; and immortality, the souks 
destiny—why, I don’t know but the old nursery style were 
better than the violent ruptures and fearful reaction that 
must occur till the higher plane of progress is reached.” 

Here are also a few words from a letter Captain Janes 
sent up by the first one of his graduates who started for 


Marriage, Trials, and Work 


77 


Kyoto, dated June 25 ; 1876: “He was one of the first to 
see the light, to be convinced of the saving power of 
Christianity, and to give his heart unalterably to Jesus, 
4 all to leave and follow him; 7 and as a consequence he 
has been subjected to the most cruel and outrageous 
treatment at the hands of his brother, and has endured 
an imprisonment of some one hundred and twenty days. 
He was made the slave of the servants of his family, who 
were instructed to treat him as devil-possessed, without 
human rights. He is now practically an outcast. He is 
as a shorn lamb; he is leaving all.” 

In September fifteen graduates of Captain Janes’s 
school, and as many more under-graduates, entered our 
school. These graduates were most of them virtually 
cast off by their friends for their faith in Christ, and they 
came to ns with the clothes they wore and an English 
Bible as their sole earthly possessions. They found the 
school poorly organized, and were at first much dissatis¬ 
fied. Captain Janes, however, encouraged them to stay, 
and they remained, and spent three years in theological 
study, supporting themselves by teaching the younger 
classes in the school, and graduating from the theological 
department in June, 1879. Three of them were retained 
as teachers in the school, and the others went out as 
teachers and preachers, and have been among the best 
Christian workers in Japan for the last ten years; Mr. 
Kosaki in Tokyo, Mr. Yebina in Joshu, Mr. Miyagawa in 
Osaka, Mr. Kanamori in Okayama, and Mr. Ise in Shikoku, 
have done work which has changed the history of Japan 
already. Five of these men are now connected with the 
school as teachers. Their coming into the school at that 
early day gave a Christian tone to the school, and their in¬ 
fluence was felt in molding the Doshisha morally, and in 
shaping its course of study. They have helped to make 


78 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


the school what it is, and they came to love Mr. Neesima 
and to be loved by him as brothers. 

The school gradually increased in numbers, so that 
during the third school year we had over one hundred 
students. Such was the feeling of opposition in Kyoto, 
however, that we had very few students from the city 
during the first five years; nearly half of them came from 
the island of Kiushu, led by the example and influence of 
the Kumamoto Band. 

The opposition on the part of the officials in Kyoto 
grew stronger and stronger. December 23, 1877, Mr. 
Neesima wrote: “I wish to inform you of a recent event 
which happened in Kyoto. My brother-in-law, the blind 
Yamamoto, lost his connection with the Kyoto-Fu yester¬ 
day ; I believe he lost his connection with the Fu on ac¬ 
count of his connection with us. 7 ’ In the winter of 1879 
Dr. Learned’s permission to reside in Kyoto and teach in 
the school had nearly expired; if his permission was not 
renewed it would leave only one foreign teacher in the 
school; the requests made by the Doshisha for others to 
teach in the school had been refused, and Mr. Neesima 
was very anxious, during those months, about the very 
existence of the school. It was only after repeated solici¬ 
tation with the Fu authorities here, and a visit to Tokyo 
and a personal interview with Mr. Mori, then at the head 
of the foreign department, that Dr. Learned’s permit was 
finally obtained. 

The whole situation during these first years was a great 
strain upon Mr. Neesima. Some of his best Japanese 
friends told him he was ruining his influence by receiv¬ 
ing the money for his support from his benefactor, Mr. 
Hardy, and advised him to refuse to receive it and try to 
support himself. He was at one time inclined to yield 
to the criticisms of liis friends, and refuse to receive Mr. 


Marriage , Trials , and Work 79 

Hardy’s benefaction longer. On one occasion, when all 
these trials seemed to be crushing him, he said to the 
writer with strong crying and tears, “ Oh, that I could be 
crucified once for Christ, and be done with it! ” This 
opposition lasted about six years, and seriously affected 
his general health. 

The following is an extract from one of his letters to 
Mr. Hardy: “ I must be thankful for the wise manage¬ 
ment of the American Board in sustaining our Kyoto in¬ 
stitutions. Let the present arrangement continue as long 
as it may be needful. According to your kind fatherly 
advice I will be careful, and try to do all things in a per¬ 
fect harmony with our missionaries. I shall be careful 
not to find fault in others. We were terribly attacked by 
some brethren in other stations. I attempted to defend 
our position. It is all over now. I shall say nothing 
about them, of them, or against them. There is now 
perfect harmony between the different stations of our 
mission. The last two months were the hardest ones I 
have ever experienced since my return to Japan. I found 
myself in the lowest stratum, and received the whole 
pressure upon myself. A heavy trial with respect to the 
government, and grave troubles among our native breth¬ 
ren, and also in our school. Oh, heavy burdens ! I bore 
them chiefly on myself by His help, but I think I came 
pretty near to burst up my brains.” 

One trouble with the government to which he refers 
above was that they were exceedingly averse to having a 
school in Kyoto which was supported with foreign money, 
unless that fund were given directly to the Doshisha com¬ 
pany ; and in November, 1879, on returning from Annaka, 
Mr. Neesima received the good news that the appropria¬ 
tion for the school for the next year had been placed in 
the hands of the Doshisha company. The joy and relief 


80 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


which this brought were inexpressible. He wrote to Mr. 
Hardy, December 27, 1879 : “I found your last letter on 
my arrival home. When I read it I exclaimed, ‘ The good 
Lord has done it! 7 My rejoicing was mingled with run¬ 
ning tears. I knelt down before the Lord with my wife, 
and gave him our heartfelt thanks. Next to the Lord I 
must express my gratitude to you for your deep interest 
in us. I must also thank the gentlemen of the board. 
Through this action I shall be relieved from grave diffi¬ 
culty. Step by step the plots of our enemies are defeated. 

‘ Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the 
desire of thy heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; 
trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 7 Oh, 
what precious promises they are unto us! I am wonder¬ 
ing why God has chosen a weak instrumentality such as I 
am, weak both in body and mind, for promoting his king¬ 
dom in this empire. I could simply say to him, ‘ Here I 
am; employ me in thy vineyard if thou findest a pleasure 
in thy humble servant. 7 In my later experience I find 
more than ever nothingness in me. 77 

In 1876 a school for girls was opened in the house of 
one of the missionaries, in which Mrs. Neesima and Miss 
Starkweather taught, and about two years later it was re¬ 
moved to its present location in a building erected for that 
purpose. The care of all this school work as it grew larger 
and larger, and the great number of outside calls which 
came upon Mr. Neesima, were a perpetual strain. Then, 
again, Mr. Neesima 7 s reputation as one of the few men 
who had been thoroughly educated abroad, and his con¬ 
nection with the Iwakura embassy, brought many callers 
to his house, and occupied a great deal of his time; he 
was also consulted in regard to church work and mission¬ 
ary work, and in difficulties which arose in the churches 
or between individuals. 


Marriage , Trials , and Work 


81 


His heart was always warmly interested in the rapid 
spread of the Gospel in Japan, and he made many mission¬ 
ary tours himself, and earnestly proclaimed the Gospel. 
He wrote from Tokyo, February 13, 1879, a letter from 
which the following is an extract: “ I started for Annaka 
on last Friday morning at three o’clock a.m.” This was 
in the basha, or wagon, which at that time ran between 
Tokyo and Annaka. u It was then snowing, and I found 
myself chilled through. I reached Annaka toward even¬ 
ing ; although I found myself rather tired I was obliged 
to receive quite a number of visitors that evening; then 
on Saturday the visitors poured in from the early morn¬ 
ing, and there was scarcely a time for me to rest till the 
evening. We held a prayer-meeting on that evening. 
There were two candidates for baptism j the meeting 
lasted more than two hours. Another church meeting was 
held on Sunday morning. In the afternoon I preached in 
the usual way and officiated at the Lord’s Supper. In the 
evening we held a prayer-meeting; it was a very warm 
and lively meeting and lasted more than two hours. I 
was so excited by the meeting that I could not sleep at all. 
At 12.30 a.m. on Monday morning I left Annaka on a coach, 
and reached Tokyo at 1.30 p.m. I am glad to say that the 
Annaka church is growing, and before the summer there 
may be half a dozen candidates for baptism. I have taken 
cold ever since I went to Annaka.” He took this ride of 
nearly a hundred miles, and thus hurried back, because 
he had had a weighty case of arbitration put into his 
hands in Tokyo, which he must attend to that Monday 
afternoon. 

Mr. Neesima, during those years, usually attended the 
business meetings of the mission, and also the prayer¬ 
meeting in English of the station, it being held once a 
week in turn at our houses, his house having its turn with 


82 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


the rest. We shall never forget his simple, earnest prayers 
in English at those meetings. He taught classes in the 
school in the early years, and he always gained the deep 
love of his pupils and of all who came in close contact with 
him; his silent influence in the school was very strong and 
pervasive. 


V 

BROADENING PLANS—TOUR ABROAD 


83 


“ Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall 
bring it to pass.” —Ps. xxxvn. 5. 

“ Best is not quitting the busy career ; 

Best is the fitting of self to one’s sphere.” 

“ Build thee more stately mansions, 0 my soul, 

As the sicift seasons roll! 

Leave thy low-vaulted past! 

Let each new temple, nobler than the last, 

Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, 

Till thou at length art free, 

Leaving thine outgrown shell by lifefs unresting sea.” 

O. W. Holmes. 


“ In the world’s broad field of battle, 

In the bivouac of life, 

Be not like dumb, driven cattle — 

Be a hero in the strife. 

“Trust no future, howe’er pleasant! 

Let the dead past bury its dead! 

Act—act in the living present, 

Heart within and God o’erhead!” 

Longfellow. 


84 


CHAPTER V 


BROADENING PLANS—TOUR ABROAD 

In the year 1883 Mr. Neesima began to think and plan 
actively to enlist interest among Japanese friends in the 
establishment of a university, or in the broadening out of 
the Doshisha into a Christian university. Up to this time 
the school had only been known in Japan as a Christian 
school, and the general idea among the leading men in the 
empire was that it was a school simply for training Chris¬ 
tian preachers and evangelists 5 this was the very natural 
conclusion from the fact that most of the graduates up to 
that time had engaged in active Christian work. For this 
reason it was a very difficult matter to appeal for help for 
the school; but Mr. Neesima never swerved from his great 
purpose of a Christian school, nor from stating that pub¬ 
licly in his appeals. It was important to show the public 
that something besides the Bible and theology was taught 
in the school, and that its aim was a broader one than sim¬ 
ply the training of evangelists j but it was always made 
very clear that the foundation of the school was Christian, 
and that Christianity was the foundation of the morality 
taught in it. 

The writer was present at the first public meeting held 
for the purpose of awakening an interest in the university 
among the Japanese j it was held in a large hall in Kyoto, 
in the spring of 1884. About fifty of the officials and 
leading business men of the city were present, and Mr. 

85 


86 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Neesima, Professor Ichihara, and the writer each ad¬ 
dressed the meeting. Professor Iehihara’s speech was 
one of the most ringing appeals for Christianity as the 
necessary foundation of all education to which I ever lis¬ 
tened. The printed appeals which were made later speak 
for themselves. 

The following is a free translation of the first general 
appeal for the university. It was prepared by Mr. Neesima 
and Mr. Yamamoto, and issued in May, 1884. 

u The recent political changes in Japan have swept away 
feudalism, which has been the basis of society for many 
hundred years; and the influence of these changes has 
grown stronger and stronger until the society of Japan 
is very greatly changed. It appears like a new Japan. 
There are many who say that the government, the educa¬ 
tion, the commerce, and the industries which have existed 
in Japan must be improved. We heartily agree with their 
purpose as right and important to our civilization; but at 
the present time, when we look carefully at the condition 
of the country, there is one thing which gives us great sor¬ 
row. What is that? It is that there does not exist in 
Japan a university which is founded upon the most pure 
morality, and which teaches the new science. This is a 
necessary foundation of our civilization. In natural beau¬ 
ty and natural advantages Japan is not inferior to Europe 
and America. Why, then, is its civilization so different 
from theirs ? It is also certain that there are in Japan but 
few noted men of earnest purpose. Hence we need uni¬ 
versities in Japan. 

“We can learn from the examples which Europe gives 
us. In the sixteenth century the great leader, Luther, 
said, ‘If parents or brothers refuse to send children to 
school they are enemies of the state, and they ought to be 
punished.’ The learned German, Fichte, said, ‘ The reason 



/ 


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Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 


87 


that our nation stands first in civilization among the coun¬ 
tries of Europe is in the power which comes from our uni¬ 
versities.’ The twelfth century was the dawning period 
of European civilization. At that time Greek philosophy 
was studied in the Paris University. In Italy the ancient 
Roman laws were studied in the University of Bologna. 
Between that time and the year 1600 the universities of 
Oxford and Cambridge were founded in England, Edin¬ 
burgh and Glasgow in Scotland, Prague, Heidelberg, Leip- 
sic, Tubingen, and Jena in Germany, and Dublin Univer¬ 
sity was founded in Ireland. Besides these, universities 
have been founded in Hollaud, Spain, Portugal, and Aus¬ 
tria. 

“ Abelard, Roger Bacon, Kepler, Galileo, Lord Bacon, 
Locke, Newton, Milton, Leibnitz, Kant, Reid, and Hamil¬ 
ton were famous in those countries as great scholars. As 
reformers of politics and religion, Pym, Hampden, Pitt, 
Fox, Burke, Johnson, Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, and John 
Knox were noted. By these universities all science and 
philosophy have been improved and advanced; by them 
feudalism and despotism have been destroyed; by them 
the social ranks and the powers of the nobles and priests 
have been resisted $ by them the desire for liberty and the 
demand for self-government have been awakened. The 
English Revolution and the religious Reformation have 
occurred, which have completely changed the condition of 
Europe. In the year 1800 there were over 100 universi¬ 
ties in Europe. That the civilization of Europe has been 
rapidly advanced by the universities is a most patent fact. 

“Now look at the American universities and colleges, 
which number over 300, and of which only 8 have been 
built by the government. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Am¬ 
herst, Williams, Dartmouth, and Oberlin are noted, espe¬ 
cially the first, which is the most famous one; in it are 


88 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


now 110 professors and a library containing 134,000 vol¬ 
umes, and its endowment amounts to $14,854,372. In 
1872 there were in the United States 298 colleges and 
universities, but during the seven years to 1879, 66 were 
added. This great growth of higher education in the 
United States is a very wonderful thing in the world. 

11 In the year 1620 the Pilgrim fathers landed in Plym¬ 
outh j they came that they might enjoy freedom to wor¬ 
ship God. They established a school which was founded 
upon Christian morality. Since that time, during two 
hundred and sixty years, their descendants have inherited 
the spirit and carried out the purpose of the fathers ; they 
have believed that such schools would diminish the num¬ 
ber of evil-doers and increase the number of those who do 
good ; that thejr would encourage the spirit of liberty and 
become the foundation of the state; they have believed 
that in order to become a nation with the best free gov¬ 
ernment they must have universities which are founded 
upon Christian morality, where the sciences will be taught. 
We cannot doubt but that their free institutions have 
been the result of this spirit. 

u As soon as our government saw the importance of the 
university it established one in Tokyo, and it has also 
built several academies. From these we shall see some 
intellectual development and external advancement, but 
not moral development and internal improvement. 

u Some are trying to improve the morality of the people; 
but they demand that the old morality of China shall be 
used with the people, and hence we cannot rejoice at their 
efforts, for the Chinese morality has not influence upon 
the mind of men generally. All Oriental states are almost 
destitute of liberty and Christian morality; they cannot, 
therefore, rapidly advance in civilization. The growth of 
liberty, the development of science, the advancement of 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 89 

politics, and the power of morality have brought forth the 
European civilization. These four important effects have 
come from the study of the advancing sciences upon the 
foundation of Christian morality. 

“We cannot believe, then, that without morality and 
science civilization can come in Japan. To put the foun¬ 
dation of our state upon this foundation is just like put¬ 
ting the foundation of a building upon a rock. No sword 
can conquer it; no tempest can break it j no waves can 
overcome it. If it is put upon the old Chinese morality it 
will be just like putting it upon a sandy beach of the sea $ 
when the rough waves beat against it it falls into ruin. 
We are, therefore, hoping for a university which is founded 
upon pure morality, and which teaches modern advanced 
science. We have been very earnest in this matter. In 
the eighth year of Meiji we established the Doshisha 
school in Kyoto, and its purpose was to teach European 
science and to give also moral education. Its students 
have increased year by year. But our aim has ever been 
to build a university. 

“ In April of the sixteenth year of Meiji we publicly ex¬ 
pressed our purpose and received much encouragement; 
at this time we met our friends in Kyoto and named it 
the Meiji University. We have determined to raise an 
endowment first for a department of history, philosophy, 
politics, and economics, and gradually to found one also 
of law and of medicine. But it is not easy to establish 
this, for we must, as a first step, get a large amount of 
money with which we can erect some buildings and call 
some professors. We, being so few in number, cannot 
furnish this money, but we cannot give up our purpose to 
establish this university now. We must work for new 
Japan. All true patriots should do this. Please help us, 
as far as you are able, to accomplish our purpose and do 


90 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


this work. Unless we receive your help we cannot suc¬ 
ceed in this great purpose.” 

In the early part of 1884 it became evident that the 
strain of the last nine years had so exhausted Mr. Neesima 
that he must have a complete change. He had tried in 
vain to rest in Japan • he could not escape from the many 
calls which pressed upon him everywhere; he could not 
forget the great work he had undertaken $ it was always 
before his eyes and upon his heart. He at last yielded to 
the earnest solicitations of his friends, and accepted Mr. 
Hardy’s generous invitation to go to the United States by 
way of Europe, and on the 6th of April, 1884, he started 
from Kobe on his long journey. He landed in Italy at 
Naples. 

His daily journals, from the time of leaving Japan until 
he left Switzerland, are very full; they are little encyclo¬ 
pedias of information on every subject ; it is wonderful to 
see how much information he gathered, and especially are 
they very full on the educational side. He visited all the 
schools and colleges he could, and minutely inspected their 
whole plan of teaching, studies, and buildings, and wrote 
out all the details. He secured letters of introduction to 
the men who were at the head of the Catholic colleges in 
Italy, and inspected them very carefully; also the Walden- 
sian theological school in Florence. He spent several 
weeks in the Waldensian valley, and carefully studied the 
history, the persecutions, the school system, and the ways 
of working of that church. From there he went by the St. 
Gotthard route into Switzerlandj his note-books are full 
of his pencil-drawings to illustrate the architecture and the 
processes of grape-raising, cheese-making, etc. 

On the 6th of August he started with a German traveler 
to go up the St. Gotthard Pass. It was a gentle climb of 
about two thousand feet. He says in his note-book; “ One 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 91 

and a half miles this side of the pass I began to breathe 
hard; I could not go; I was left behind; I stopped every 
ten rods; finally I reached the pass; I ate dinner, but after 
that I found myself worse and worse; I could not go any 
farther. I stayed at the Hotel Prosa until the next day j 
that afternoon I found myself very miserable. I thought 
it might possibly be the end of my life in this world. 
While I had a most distressed feeling in my chest I wrote 
my will, as follows: first paper: ‘ I am a native of Japan, 
and am a missionary to my native land. On account of 
my ill health I was obliged to leave my country for health. 
I came from Milan to Andermatt yesterday, and took a 
room at the Hotel Oberalp. I took a trip to the St. Gott- 
hard Pass with a German gentleman this morning j as I 
found myself too unwell to go on he left me here and went 
on to Airolo. I found myself hard of breathing—it must 
be some trouble in my heart. My goods are left in the 
Hotel Oberalp with some money. If I die here please send 
a telegram to Pastor Jurino, 51 Via Torino, Milan, and ask 
him to take charge of my body. May the kind Heavenly 
Father receive my soul to his bosom. August 6,1884. J. 
H. Neesima. Whoever reads this writing, pray for Japan, 
my dear native land.’ 

“ Second paper: ‘ I would ask Pastor Jurino to bury me 
in Milan and send this writing to Hon. Alpheus Hardy, 
4 Joy Street, Boston, Mass., U. S. A.., as he and his wife 
have been my benefactors these twenty years. May the 
Lord give them ample rewards ! Send a telegram to him 
at once. Please cut a little portion of my hair and send 
to my dear wife in Kyoto, Japan, as a token of the insep¬ 
arable bond of union in Christ. My plan for Japan will 
be defeated j but thanks be to the Lord that he has already 
done so much for us ! 1 trust he will yet do a wonderful 

work there. May the Lord raise up many true Christians 


92 Joseph Hardy Neesima 

and noble patriots for my dear fatherland! Amen and 
amen.’ 

“ At this moment all sorts of thoughts came up them¬ 
selves at once. I reviewed the past as well as the future. 
My plan for our school j my plan for a medical school 5 my 
hope to get something for these plans; my filial feeling 
toward my aged parents; my tender sympathy with my 
wife j disappointments of my intimate friends in Japan; 
my most grateful feeling toward Mr. and Mrs. Hardy—all 
these feelings and thoughts came up within me, and I 
struggled with them j but I can safely state here that I 
overcame all these feelings, and prayed to God to let his 
will be done in me j asked for his forgiving grace through 
Christ Jesus.” 

He gradually rallied, so that the next day he was moved 
in a carriage back to Andermatt j and when he was able 
he went on to Lucerne and consulted a physician, who told 
him that his heart was affected, and that he must avoid all 
violent exercise. 

He writes from Lucerne: 11 Since then I feel more and 
more my life is not for me. Whether I live or die I must 
live or die for Christ. May the Lord ever keep this sin- 
wounded soul under his protecting hand, and count me as 
a least one in his kingdom, through the righteousness of 
Jesus Christ.” 

Mr. Neesima traveled leisurely down the Rhine, through 
Holland, and across to England, and reached the United 
States in the early autumn. 

He attended the meeting of the board at Columbus, 
Ohio, a month later, but he was unable to speak, except a 
few words. He rested through the winter, passing some 
time at the health-retreat at Clifton Springs, N. Y. He 
wrote a long letter from that retreat in January, 1885, 
urging upon us the consideration of plans for a medical 



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Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 


93 


school, and for enlarging the evangelistic work from Kiu- 
shu and Kochi to Sendai and the Hokkaido. He says in 
this letter, speaking of plans for the improvement of the 
school: “Will you try to get choice library on all subjects f 
Please get up a tolerably good astronomical observatory, 
also good chemical laboratory; get a good supply of phys¬ 
ical apparatus. Try to get specimens of natural history, 
of mineralogy, geology, etc.; try to get hold of students 
and hold them.” At the close he says: “ I am improving 
now; still I am sleepless and nervous too. But I can’t be 
free from thoughts of Japan. I am a prisoner of Japan.” 
He wrote from Boston in March, 1885: “Since February 
3d I have been obliged to lay aside all my reading and 
writing.” This brief letter was written with a trembling 
hand. He says: “I am still troubled with a burning 
headache, and have been obliged to keep myself quiet so 
far as I can.” “I came through this winter without a 
serious attack of rheumatism, and the only trouble I have 
now is a burning, heavy headache, with occasional repeti¬ 
tions of pain in my forehead. I can’t do much yet, but I 
am not discouraged j I am cheerful and hopeful.” 

In April and May he made a visit to Washington, stop¬ 
ping in Delaware and other places j but as his health im¬ 
proved a little his soul was wholly absorbed in thoughts 
and plans for his beloved land. He tried to work for the 
best interests of the Christian paper in Tokyo; he sug¬ 
gested a revision of the theological course of study in the 
Doshisha, to make it more scholarly; he writes from Bos¬ 
ton, March 25, 1885 : “ The board are thinking to send a 
graduate of Ann Arbor University to teach philosophy, 
etc., to make the theological department more attractive 
to our ambitious students. I hope your mission will 
heartily respond to this new movement on this side of 
the Pacific. 


94 


Joseph Hardy Keesima 


“lam glad to learn that the work in the Annaka region 
is so hopeful. They have recently built two more houses 
of worship.” “ It may be desirable to occupy a few im¬ 
portant centers in Kiushu and in northern Japan, but the 
most important work to carry out Christ’s kingdom is to 
raise men after God’s own heart. If you raise up strong and 
truly pious men to work for Christ , Japan will be ours in his 
name. Let us unite ourselves in this case , and push it through. 
I will soon ask a lady in Louisville, Ky., to send me sixty 
dollars to help our needy students.” 

He was also working to secure a way by which Profes¬ 
sor Shimomura could go to the United States to study, 
and still further to find some plan by which other men 
could have the foreign training they needed to fit them to 
teach in the Doshisha. He says in the same letter, May 
26th: “ With regard to founding special scholarship chairs 
in our school, it may be hard to raise fund enough here 
to secure a few American professorships, so I will work 
to secure the fund in Japan and raise up the native pro¬ 
fessorships. In order to do that, a few best students out 
of our graduates ought to be sent here to pursue the spe¬ 
cial studies to fit themselves for this new enterprise. I am 
strongly convinced that we can’t keep up our reputation 
in future unless we provide a few professional studies be¬ 
sides theology, so I am hoping to secure a few scholar¬ 
ships to help our students to attain the high education in 
this country. We may meet many objections here and at 
home, but I feel we are rather compelled to take this bold 
step. If we could get a few scholarships here to educate 
and fit our students to be professors, we could start a few 
new chairs on political science, philosophy, history, etc., 
without a great expense to us. The government is doing 
this in the Tokyo University; why cannot we do the same 
in our school? I hope our friends in Japan will raise 
money enough for us to start this new enterprise. 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 


95 


“ To sum up my view, let me briefly state as follows: 1. 
Give our students a thorough English course. 2. Make 
the theological course more attractive to our ambitious 
students. Let the foreign professors devote their time 
and strength for instructing this important class. 3. Pro¬ 
vide for other professional studies to keep those boys who 
will not become preachers within the sacred walls of our 
school. 4. If I secure a few scholarships I should like to 
use them exclusively for the best students, intellectually 
and spiritually, among the theological graduates. This 
provision will certainly make the theological class honor¬ 
able and attractive in our school. Under this fourth head¬ 
ing I should say still further: I called on President Porter 
the other day, and asked him of his view on my new plan 
to secure a few scholarships here. He favors this idea 
very much. I have been working quite hard to secure 
some favor for our students, very few in number, in the 
Johns Hopkins University, and also at Yale and Amherst. 
I hope they will show some special favor to our students 
if we send them our best specimens. 

“ Before I close my letter allow me to state to you that 
in all these my attempts I forget myself; I still suffer in 
my head; I feel that I am moving onward in our battle¬ 
field just as you do, though I am sent here to rest. I can¬ 
not write such a letter without shedding many tears. My 
heart is constantly burning like a volcanic fire for my 
dearly beloved Japan. Pray for me that I may rest in 
the Lord.” 

Before he returned to Japan, Mr. Neesima wrote “An 
Appeal for Advanced Christian Education in Japan,” 
which was circulated in the United States, extracts from 
which are here given: 

“Old Japan is defeated. New Japan has won its vic¬ 
tory. The old Asiatic system is silently passing away, 
and the new European ideas so recently transplanted there 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


06 


are growing vigorously and luxuriantly. Within the past 
twenty years Japan has undergone a vast change, and is 
now so advanced that it will be impossible for her to fall 
back to her former position. She has shaken off her old 
robe. She is ready to adopt something better. The daily 
press, so copiously scattered throughout the empire, is 
constantly creating among its readers some fresh desire 
and appetite for the new change. Her leading minds will 
no longer bear with the old form of despotic feudalism, 
neither be contented with the worn-out doctrines of Asi¬ 
atic morals and religions. They cried out for a constitu¬ 
tion a few years ago, and have already obtained a promise 
from the emperor to have it given them in the year 1890. 
The pagan religions seem to their inquiring mind mere 
relics of the old superstition. 

“The compulsory education lately carried out in the 
common schools, amounting in number to almost thirty 
thousand, is proved to be a mighty factor to quicken and 
elevate the intelligence of the masses. The Imperial Uni¬ 
versity at Tokyo is sending out men of high culture by 
the hundred every year, to take some responsible posi¬ 
tions either in the governmental service or private capaci¬ 
ties. Another university will soon be founded by the gov¬ 
ernment at Osaka, the second important commercial city 
of the empire, to accommodate the youths so anxiously 
craving the higher education. It will be out of the way 
for me to dwell here upon the material progress Japan 
has so recently made. But let it suffice to state that the 
waters of her coasts are busily plowed by her own steam¬ 
ers. Public roads are constantly improved. Tunnels are 
being cut here and there, and railways are being laid to 
connect important commercial points. Telegraph-wires 
are stretched throughout the whole length and breadth of 
the empire. Surveying what she has accomplished within 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 


07 


so short a period, we cannot help thinking that she is 
bound to adopt the form of European civilization, and 
will never cease until she be crowned with success in ac¬ 
complishing her national aim. 

“In order to bring about the recent change and pro¬ 
gress she has painfully sacrificed her precious blood as 
well as her vast treasure. Indeed, her victory has been 
dearly purchased. It was a quick work and was well done. 
It was a sudden movement, but to our great wonder very 
few mistakes have been made in her past course. She 
has tried her best as far as her capacity would allow. The 
most serious period of our political revolution is nearly 
passed, and society as well as the government will soon 
precipitate into some new shape. But what shape ? To 
the writer of this article our immediate future seems a 
more serious problem than the past. It will be a grand 
achievement if a free constitution and higher education 
be secured to her people. But these two factors may be 
proved to be the very elements apt to bring out freedom 
of opinions, and hence the terrible battles of free opinions. 
A fearful national chaos might be her fate if nothing in¬ 
tervene to prevent it. If the nation be allowed to take 
her own course as she does now, hope for her regenera¬ 
tion might forever be gone. But in the time of need, 
Providence, which rules the nations with infinite wisdom, 
has stepped in to save us from this national calamity and 
despair. It was neither too soon nor too late when the 
missionaries of the cross from America landed on our 
shore to proclaim the soul-saving Gospel to the people. 
Through their earnest labor and constant prayers the 
foundation of the Christian church was soon laid. 

“We believe Christianity is intended to benefit man¬ 
kind at large. Why should we not undertake to extend 
our influence toward the higher sphere as well as toward 


98 


Joseph Hardy Xeesima 


the lower, that we might win all men to Christ? Why 
should we seriously object to raise up Christian states¬ 
men, Christian lawyers, Christian editors, and Christian 
merchants, as well as Christian preachers and teachers, 
within the walls of our Christian institutions ? It is our 
humble purpose to save Japan through Christianity. 

u There might be some undue fear that such a provision 
of those higher studies would naturally draw away ambi¬ 
tious students from the theological course. It may be, 
but we trust we shall receive a larger supply of students 
in the academical course, so that some could be spared for 
other studies without much loss to the theological depart¬ 
ment. On the contrary, we may possibly attract some 
students to it from the other courses. Some evil may 
arise in such an undertaking, but it may be overbalanced 
by the good accomplished by it. Now allow us to state a 
few reasons for this undertaking: 

u 1. Such a provision will detain the youths for further 
studies in the school after finishing the academical course. 
It will help them to develop and strengthen their Christian 
character. 

11 2. Such a provision will accommodate some thought¬ 
ful parents, who may naturally desire to send their boys to 
a school where their moral character is carefully fostered 
and will be likely to be so developed as to be a safeguard 
against youthful vices and corruption. 

“ 3. The youths who have thus received a broad culture 
will certainly have a grand opportunity to influence soci¬ 
ety for good. Words and deeds of well-educated, earnest 
Christians in different spheres of society will help the 
cause very much either directly or indirectly. Sometimes 
indirect efforts produce more speedy results than direct. 

“ 4. This provision will surely benefit and tone up the 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 99 

theological course, instead of causing any serious harm 
to it. 

“5. We desire to lay down a broad basis for Christian 
education by encouraging post-graduate studies. 

“ The time is just ripening for us to take this step so 
as to attract thereto the best and most talented youths in 
the country, and foster and fit them for the highest good 
and noblest purpose. We are thus compelled to attempt 
this broad sweep to reach and win thirty-seven million 
precious souls to Christ. Seeds of truth must be sown 
now. Undue delay will give a grand chance to unbeliev¬ 
ing hands to make thorough mischief and render that 
beautiful island empire hopelessly barren and fruitless. 
O Japan, thou the fairest of Asia! 1 If I forget thee, let 

my right hand forget her cunning, and let my tongue 
cleave to the roof of my mouth/ 

11 But our friends are very few. The people are pressed 
hard on account of the business stagnation, and a most 
destructive flood has lately visited the country. So we 
cannot expect to receive from them any large donation. 
When we met a number of the eminent citizens of Kyoto 
last year for this specific purpose, we urged them to give 
us a fund before the year 1890, so that when the emperor 
gives us a constitution we might found a university to 
commemorate the most extraordinary period of our polit¬ 
ical history. This appeal created among them a great 
enthusiasm. Some of them gave us their hearty pledge 
to do their share. So we may possibly realize some gift 
just sufficient to support a few native professors. But it 
is beyond our expectation to receive a fund large enough 
to sustain even a few American professors. So if a few 
professorships should be given by some American friends 
to found chairs of political science, history, literature, 


100 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


philosophy, etc., it will help the cause grandly. Some 
people in this country may hardly realize how danger¬ 
ously our shores are visited and washed by the strong tide 
of modern European unbelief. But to a native of the 
country who has been seriously watching and observing 
the course recently taken by the people, the present time 
seems grave. The future battle in Japan may not be with 
any foreign invaders; but it will certainly be between 
Christianity and unbelief. 

“It is the time for us to make an extraordinary effort 
to push evangelical work as well as Christian education in 
Japan, in order to save her from corruption and unbelief. 
The American Board has done for us in the educational 
line as much as it can wisely do. Yet there remains much 
to be done in order to carry out our work more efficiently. 
The Lord’s army must not be hampered while the battle 
is fairly commencing. Large means must be provided 
in order to furnish to the field strong men from time to 
time. 

“Now who will step forth in this grand republic of 
America to render us timely help to save us from this im¬ 
pending national calamity ? Here may be some friends 
seriously considering how their property might be best 
disposed of for benefiting poor humanity. With such we 
would earnestly plead and loudly cry, 1 Remember us! ’ 
Would that God might touch the hearts of some individ¬ 
uals to give us a portion of their blessings, and establish 
chairs for advanced Christian education there as a per¬ 
petual monument of peace between the United States of 
America and Japan, through which the millions of our 
people and their posterity might be blessed! ” 

In the autumn of 1885 Mr. Neesima returned to Japan, 
somewhat improved in health, but still suffering from 
weakness and headache. He at once began to work 



CLARK THEOLOGICAL HALL, DOSHISHA UNIVERSITY. 















































































































































































































































































































































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Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 101 

quietly liere for the establishment of the university. He 
made many earnest friends for the enterprise, and many 
sums of money were promised toward its endowment. 
This quiet work, and the issue and circulation of small 
circulars in regard to the university, continued during 
two or three years, but it was not until 1888 that a public 
and determined effort was made for the endowment of the 
university. About six hundred and fifty of the officials, 
scholars, and leading business men of Kyoto assembled in 
one of the large temples in Kyoto, and were addressed by 
Mr. Neesima and others; and much interest was aroused 
in behalf of the Doshisha University. 

In the summer of that year Mr. Neesima went to Tokyo 
and worked in the interest of the university. But so 
great was his weakness that one evening, as he met a few 
friends to present his plan of the university, he fainted 
quite away. In July of that year, however, Count Inouye, 
late Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave a dinner to men of 
rank and wealth, inviting Mr. Neesima to be present ; and 
after dinner he introduced the subject and asked Mr. Nee¬ 
sima to speak of the university, and the result was that 
Count Inouye subscribed one thousand yen, Count Oku- 
ma, one thousand yen, Viscount Aoki, then Vice-minister 
of State, five hundred yen, a prominent banker six thou¬ 
sand yen, and others enough to bring the amount up to 
thirty-one thousand yen. This gave great enthusiasm to 
the movement. 

When the tenth anniversary of the founding of the 
school was celebrated, in 1885, the governor of the Kyoto- 
Fu, the governor of the Shiga Ken, and many other offi¬ 
cials were present, and were greatly interested. Count 
Inouye had also visited the school and addressed the 
teachers and scholars, assembled in the chapel. It was 
not from any blind impulse that this money was given; 


102 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


the school had proved its right to be, and that it was a 
needed power in Japan. 

In the last English letter which Mr. Neesima wrote, 
only a few days before his death, from which a long 
quotation has already been made, he says: “ Since 1884 I 
began to hope for founding a Christian university; the 
matter seemed to myself and also to my friends here that 
I was hoping for something altogether beyond hope; how¬ 
ever, I had a strong conviction that God would help us to 
found it in his own name’s sake. In order to engage in 
such an undertaking one shall need a strong physique; 
alas! my health has been poor for some years. When I 
made a speech before a select audience of six hundred and 
fifty at Kyoto, in a large Buddhist temple, in behalf of 
the new university, I had hardly strength enough to do 
it. The chief trouble was in my heart—a heart-disease. I 
was obliged to confine myself for some time. As soon as 
I became comfortable enough I attempted to move around 
again. In a single evening thirty-one thousand yen were 
subscribed, a most memorable evening to us; it took place 
in the latter part of July, 1888. Since then subscriptions 
came from the different parts of the country. At present 
we have raised over sixty thousand yen. We are now 
attempting to raise it to one hundred thousand yen before 
this coming summer. Since October I have been away 
from home, moving round here and there, though I make 
Tokyo the headquarters of my present movement. 

“ In the latter part of November I became seriously ill; 
I have not yet fully recovered my strength, and am now 
obliged to rest at a quiet country town to regain certain 
strength to attempt further beggings. It is a faith work. 
I have a full hope that my vague day-dream for a Chris¬ 
tian university will sooner or later be realized, and that 
in some future we shall find a grand occasion to give 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 


103 


thanks to Him who has led us and blessed ns beyond our 
expectation. Please remember me to your Sabbath-school 
friends, and ask them to pray for our country.” 

In this connection we should speak of an appeal for the 
university which Mr. Neesima prepared in the autumn of 
1888, and which was published simultaneously, on the lOtli 
of November of that year, in twenty of the leading papers 
of Japan. 

Early in August, 1888, after the money mentioned 
above had been secured for the university, Mr. Neesima 
became so weak that some physicians in Tokyo told him 
he had only a short time to live $ one other physician told 
1dm that if he took complete rest for two years he might 
possibly live on several years. He went to Ikao—a health- 
resort in Joshu, on a mountain-side—rented a small cot¬ 
tage, and spent nearly two months there. He was so 
weak when he went up there that he was unable to ride 
in a jinrikisha, and was carried up in a kago or bamboo 
chair. When the writer visited him in that place in Sep¬ 
tember, he had just become able to walk out a few rods. 
His stay there helped him to a little strength, and in Octo¬ 
ber he returned home, but soon went to Kobe, where he 
could have more complete rest. He spent most of the 
winter in Kobe, in great weakness. 

Early in the year 1887 a plan of union between the 
Congregational and the Presbyterian churches in Japan 
was proposed. Mr. Neesima was consulted but very little 
in regard to this plan beforehand, probably on account of 
his ill health $ but when a copy of the proposed basis of 
union came into his hands he was greatly troubled. When 
he came to talk with me about it he was more excited 
than I had ever seen him before, and more troubled than 
I had seen him for many years. 

Mr. Neesima had become greatly impressed during his 


104 


Joseph Hardy Keesima 


residence in America with the value of freedom; he felt 
that Japan.needed freedom, and that it could come most 
safely only gradually and among those institutions which, 
like the Christian churches, were under the influence of 
men of strong moral convictions. He wanted to retain 
the leavening influence of the Congregational system. 
Differing with the experienced pastors, his former pupils, 
who had assisted in preparing the basis of union, he felt 
that the plan proposed by the committee sacrificed that 
principle of freedom too much, and hence he said that 
he must oppose it; he feared the effect of his opposition 
upon the Doshisha, but he said he could not yield this 
principle, even at the risk of severing his connection with 
the Doshisha and with the Kmni-ai churches. He even 
suggested that if the union were perfected on the basis first 
proposed, he might leave this part of the country and go 
to the Hokkaido, and work alone. I encouraged him to 
patiently wait and see if the proposed basis could not be 
modified. 

In the following months, although some of his best 
friends told him he would ruin his hopes for a university 
by his course, he maintained his position, that unless the 
proposed basis was materially modified he could not favor 
it. This was a very great strain upon him during many 
months—a strain which, in his weakness, he could ill 
afford to bear. 

With the spring of 1889 Mr. Neesima seemed to regain 
his strength in some measure ; he spent some time during 
the summer at a seaside resort, quietly resting; and he 
was there when the news came to him that his alma mater, 
Amherst College, had conferred upon him the degree of 
LL.D. He wrote at this time a very characteristic letter 
to a member of our mission. He said that he was greatly 
troubled because they had conferred upon him this degree. 


Broadening Plans—Tour Abroad 105 

He had always refused any position which had been offered 
him in his own country, and he felt he was not worthy of 
this title, and he ends by asking, “ What shall I do with 
it?” 

The Doshisha had been growing all these years; the 
girls’ school had increased its buildings and more than 
doubled its numbers; the training-school for nurses had 
been established; a preparatory department had been 
added to the school for young men; the first two dormi¬ 
tories had increased to thirteen; a large recitation hall, a 
chapel to seat six hundred, and a large library building 
had been erected, the three latter all of brick. A gentle¬ 
man in New England, Mr. J. Harris, had gradually be¬ 
come interested in the work of the Doshisha, and had 
written that he was glad to take into consideration a plan 
to do something for the school; and this resulted first in 
his giving fifteen thousand dollars for a science hall, and 
during 1889 his interest developed into his making his 
gift one hundred thousand dollars to endow the science 
department. Mr. Neesima saw the foundations of this 
new hall laid before he went to Tokyo in October, 1889. 
The students had also increased, so that during the school 
year of 1888-89 there were in all departments over nine 
hundred young men and women. 





























































































































































































































































































































































VI 

LAST DAYS, DEATH, AND BURIAL 


107 


“ For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is 
come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have 
kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteous¬ 
ness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day: 
and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.” 
—2 Tim. iv. 6-8. 


“ So live that when thy summons comes to join 
The innumerable caravan that moves 
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take 
His chamber in the silent halls of death, 

Thou go not like the quarry slave at night, 

Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed 
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave 
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.” 

Bryant. 

“ Having won by toil and pain, 

Who shall regret the pangs of life ? 

Who would regret the past’s long night, 

With all its fear and chill and blight, 

If now the East, through twilight gray, 

Were streaked with everlasting day f ” 

u The things o’er which we grieved, with lashes wet, 
Will flash before us out of life’s dark night, 

As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue.” 

11 So let the eyes that fail on earth 
On thy eternal hills look forth, 

And in thy beckoning angels know 
The dear ones whom we loved below.” 

Whittier. 

“ He does well who does his best; 

Is he weary ? Let him rest! 

Brothers! I have done my best, 

I am weary—let me rest.” 

11 Say not good-night, 

But in some brighter clime 
Bid me good-morning.” 


108 


CHAPTER VI 


LAST DAYS, DEATH, AND BURIAL 

The autumn of 1889 found Dr. Neesima far from well, 
but yet able to be doing some work. He expressed a 
great desire to go to Tokyo and work for tlie university. 
His physician told him tha,t he felt it would be better for 
his health not to go at all, but if he was not absent more 
than three weeks it might not do him any harm. He 
went to Tokyo in October, and saw a great many friends 
in that vicinity, talking of the university endowment, and 
receiving many promises of aid. He also visited Joshu, 
and while there he caught a severe cold, which confined 
him to his bed for a week, and left him so weak that 
he finally determined to go to Oiso, a quiet place on the 
sea-shore near Yokohama, and rest. He went there in 
December, and took a room in a common Japanese hotel. 
He was accompanied only by his clerk. Mrs. Neesima 
had intended to go and spend some time with him there, 
but his mother was taken ill in Kyoto, and as she was 
eighty-four years of age it seemed unwise to leave her. 

The new year came, and Dr. Neesima sent out many 
New Year’s letters to his friends, and especially to the 
leading pastors and workers; in one of these he said that 
the greatest need of the church in Japan for the new year 
was a new baptism , so that we might be prepared to take 
Japan for Christ. He sent an acting pastor in Niigata a 
letter nearly three yards long, urging upon him the im- 

109 


110 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


portance of planting workers in the important centers of 
that province; he sent another long letter to a man in the 
extreme west end of the empire, urging the planting of 
the Gospel in that region. 

Professors Kanamori and Shimomura spent the night 
of January 10th with him, and they talked over various 
plans for the university, the school of science, etc., and 
Mr. Neesima seemed as well as usual. 

January 11th he began to decline, and he grew worse 
from day to day, so that on the 17th one of the best 
Japanese physicians in Tokyo was summoned to see him. 
He pronounced his disease peritonitis, and said that he 
was in a very dangerous condition. His clerk, who was 
with him, wanted to telegraph immediately for Mrs. Nee¬ 
sima, but Dr. Neesima said, “No, wait a little.” On the 
morning of the 19th Mrs. Neesima was sent for by tele¬ 
graph, and she arrived on the evening of the 20th. Mr. 
Kosaki, Mr. Tokudomi, and other friends had already 
reached his side from Tokyo. 

The first word which came to Doshisha was given to 
the school on Tuesday morning, January 20th, and Mr. 
Kanamori, the acting principal of the school, started that 
day for Oiso. The word given to the school was “ Kito- 
ku”—“Very dangerously ill.” Little circles of men were 
praying for the life of him they loved all that day in the 
school, and in the evening a general prayer-meeting was 
held in the chapel to pray for him 5 the telegrams came, 
in the same word—“ Kitoku.” That prayer-meeting was 
the most touching meeting I ever attended. Such tearful 
pleading with God I never heard before; some of the 
prayers were almost demands, but most of them contained 
the “ If it be thy will.” 

The next day no better news came, and the praying 
went on, and others of the teachers and students started 



NEW CHAPEL. FIRST DORMITORIES. OLD CHAPEL. 






















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Last Bays, Death, and Burial 


111 


for Oiso; Thursday morning came the telegram, “No 
hope,” then a little later, “ A little hope now ; ” and at a 
quarter to 5 p.m., just as the teachers were assembling 
for their faculty meeting, the word was passed around of 
his death. No business was done but to appoint a com¬ 
mittee to arrange in regard to the funeral, and recitations 
were suspended until after the funeral. 

Dr. Berry reached his side three hours before the end 
came. He was conscious to the last, and was able to talk 
some up to within a few hours of his death. While he 
was yet able to converse pretty freely he had dictated his 
last words to his friends in regard to the school and to the 
missionary society. As he came to the last words about 
mission work, he had a map of five provinces spread out 
before him. He called for colors with which to mark, and 
they brought a saucer with colors on it to his bedside. 
With these he marked out on the map the strategic points 
which should be soonest occupied. As he did this he be¬ 
came so excited and animated over it that his friends had 
to check him. He asked that his wife and all his friends 
might come in, and he bade each one an affectionate fare¬ 
well. From that time on he spoke very few words ; every¬ 
thing was done and said that he wished to say ; his soul 
was at rest. 

A mattress and bedding had been secured for him a day 
or two before his death, but he said that he came into the 
world in confusion, and he was not worthy to die so com¬ 
fortably. The last passage of Scripture which he asked 
to have read to him a few hours before his death was the 
third chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians. This was 
read; friends prayed with and for him, and he gradually 
sank; and at about twenty minutes past two o’clock, 
Thursday afternoon, January 23, 1890, with the words, 
“ Peace, joy, heaven,” on his lips, he entered into rest. 


112 


Joseph Haray Neesima 


Less than a month before, in a mountain village in 
one of the provinces, a band of children were going about 
the streets, their cheeks rosy with the cold. To a traveler 
who asked them what they were doing they answered, 
with sweet smiles, u We are paying Christmas visits to our 
friends and relatives, gathering presents; and when Mr. 
Neesima comes we shall give them to him for the uni¬ 
versity.” Dearly beloved children! he for whom you so 
eagerly waited will come no more. 

The following is a free translation of a poem Dr. 
Neesima wrote as he entered upon the new year—words 
almost prophetic of the end which was so near: 

“ Seeing the old year go, 

Do not lament over the sick body ; 

For the cock’s crow is the harbinger 
Of happy times at hand. 

“ Although inferior in ability, 

Poor in plans for the good of my generation, 

Yet, still cherishing the greatest hope, 

I welcome the spring.” 

Among his last words to Mrs. Neesima he said: “ Do 
not erect a monument after my death. It is sufficient to 
have a wooden post stating on it, ‘ The grave of Joseph 
Neesima.’” In accordance with this request, only an 
unhewn stone tablet marks his grave, on which are the 
words, u Joseph Hardy Neesima.” 

Among the farewell words penned at his side just be¬ 
fore he died are the following. To Mrs. Hardy: “ I am 
going away; a thousand thanks for your love and kind¬ 
ness to me during the many years of the past, and also 
for the fine presents you sent me lately. I cannot write 
myself; I leave this world with a heart full of gratitude 
for all you have done for my happiness ” To Dr. Clark: 


Last Dai/Sj Death , and Burial 


113 


“I want to thank you most sincerely for your confidence 
in me and in all I have undertaken. I have been able to 
do so little, owing to the delicate condition of my health .” 

The following are free translations of others of his 
farewell words. In regard to the Doshislia: “ The future 
object of the Doshislia is for the advancement of Chris¬ 
tianity, literature, and political science, and for the 
furtherance of all education. These are all to be pur¬ 
sued together as helping each other. The object of the 
education of the Doshisha is not theology, literature, or 
political science in themselves alone, but that through 
this education men of great and living power who love 
true freedom may be trained up—men who shall live for 
their country.” “The trustees should deal wisely and 
kindly with the students. Strong-minded and bold stu¬ 
dents should not be hardly dealt with, but dealt with 
according to their nature, so as to develop them into 
strong, useful men. There is danger that as the school 
grows larger it will become more and more mechanical, 
hence this should be carefully guarded against.” “ The 
utmost care should be taken that the foreign and Japan¬ 
ese teachers may be united together in love, and work 
together without friction. I have many times stood be¬ 
tween the two, and have had trouble. In future I ask the 
trustees to do the same as I have done.” “ I have not 
desired to make a single enemy, but if there are any who 
feel inimical toward me I ask such to forgive me, for I 
have not the least ill feeling in my heart toward any one.” 
“ I find no fault with Heaven, and bear no malice toward 
my fellow-men.” “The work which has been accom¬ 
plished is not mine but yours; for I have been enabled to 
do it only through your earnest cooperation, so that I do 
not regard it as my work at all; and I can only most sin¬ 
cerely thank all those who have so zealously worked with 


114 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


me.” “My feelings in regard to the Doshisha are ever 
like this poem: * In time of cherry blossoms in Mount 
Yoshino, morning by morning, my great anxiety is lest a 
cloud come and destroy the view. 7 ” 

By a curious coincidence Dr. Neesima was born on the 
14th day of the 14th year of Tempo, and he died on the 
23d day of the 23d year of Meiji. The body reached the 
Kyoto station, by rail from Oiso, at half-past eleven o’clock 
Friday evening, and the whole school was at the station 
to meet it. The school was formed in line of march, the 
preparatory students in front and the classes in order, 
ending with the theological classes in the rear. The 
preparatory students began carrying the bier, as many as 
could take hold of it, and they changed at each corner, so 
that when we had reached the house all had had a part 
in bearing the loved body. It was a scene never to be 
forgotten; a light snow was falling; snow covered the 
ground, melting into slush; but there were very few of 
the nearly seven hundred students who were not in line 
that night, and when we reached the gate of Dr. Neesima’s 
house, two and a half miles distant from the station, be¬ 
fore we entered one of the teachers made a very touching 
prayer, one of the petitions of which was that in all the 
funeral exercises we might do as our departed brother 
would desire. 

On the Sabbath the casket was open in the house, and 
all the students and teachers of the Doshisha schools, and 
hundreds of others, viewed the face they loved. A me¬ 
morial service in Japanese, three hours long, was held in 
the chapel in the forenoon, and one two hours long, in 
English, in the afternoon. The funeral was on Monday, 
the 27th. A large tent was extemporized by covering 
poles with tent-flies, in front of the college chapel; and all 
the seats from the chapels and recitation-rooms of the 


Last Days , Death , and Burial 


115 


school were placed in it, so that three thousand people 
crowded into the tent, and about one thousand more stood 
outside. About fifty huge bouquets of flowers, arranged 
with branches of evergreen nearly five feet high, stood in 
line from the gate to the entrance of the chapel. The 
casket was covered with flowers in beautiful designs, and 
a large table in front was also covered with wreaths, 
anchors, etc. The service was simple: hymns ; reading 
the third chapter of Ephesians, the last passage Dr. Nee- 
sima had read to him; two tender prayers; reading a brief 
history of his life; and Mr. Kosaki preached a short and 
very appropriate sermon from John xii. 24. 

The funeral was attended by all the members of the 
schools j by the mercantile school, which marched up in a 
body; by about seventy graduates of the Doshisha, who 
had come from all parts of the empire; by hundreds of 
Christians from the city and hundreds from outside the 
city j as well as by many hundreds of others, including the 
governor and many officials of the Kyoto-Fu, the gov¬ 
ernor of the Shiga Ken, a delegation of Buddhist priests 
from Osaka, and by many members of his own and of 
other missions. 

At half-past two o’clock, in a pouring rain, the proces¬ 
sion formed, the students again acting as bearers; they 
had insisted from the first that 110 one outside of the school 
should touch anything; they assisted in digging the grave ; 
they now bore the loved remains to their last resting-place, 
and carried all the fifty or more large bouquets, the ban¬ 
ners, etc. The procession reached nearly from Imadegawa 
to San Jo Dori—a mile and a half; it went down Tera- 
machi to San Jo, east from San Jo to the side of the moun¬ 
tain, and through the beautiful Buddhist temple grove 
where the body of Dr. Neesima’s father rests (and where 
burial was refused for Dr. Neesima’s body because he was 


116 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


the “very head-center of Christianity in Japan,” as they 
said), and then wonnd up the mountain to a most beautiful 
spot overlooking the city and the mountains and valleys 
beyond. Many banners were borne in the procession, in¬ 
cluding one from Osaka, inscribed, “ From the Buddhists 
of Osaka f one, also, from Tokyo, on which was inscribed 
one of the last utterances of Dr. Neesima: “ Free educa¬ 
tion, self-governing churches; these keeping equal step 
will bring this nation to honor.” Many from the school 
also; among the inscriptions in English were: “ Remember 
me,” “There is a happy land,” “Yet I live,” “The truth 
shall make you free,” etc. At the grave two hymns were 
sung, a prayer was offered, and the benediction closed the 
exercises. 

The earnest, tried soul is at rest. He has heard the 
welcome “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: en¬ 
ter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” He is in the midst of 
that joy, while we strive to finish the work which our loved 
brother began, the foundations of winch he laid so well. 

The great company of mourning friends who assembled 
from all parts of the empire at his funeral, and the hun¬ 
dreds of sympathetic telegrams which came from leading 
men, show how wide was the influence of this great com¬ 
moner. Viscount Aoki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, sent 
a letter, saying, “I have lost a great and good friend.” 
Count Inouye telegraphed to those at his sick-bed, “You 
must keep him alive.” He still lives. Though dead, he 
still speaks to this whole nation. 


TRIBUTES AND LESSONS 


“ Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, 
saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works 
follow with them .”— Rev. xiv. 13. 

“ Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by 
itself alone ; but if it die, it beareth much fruit .”— John xn. 24. 

“ Humility is the base of every virtue : 

God keeps all his pity for the proud.” 

Bailey. 

“ Hath any wronged thee ? be bravely revenged: 

Slight it, and the ivork is begun ; forgive it, and His finished.” 

“ Good must ever live, and walk up and down the earth, like a living 
spirit, guided by the living God, to convey blessings to the children of 
men. It lives in humanity, in some form or other, like the subtle sub¬ 
stance of material things, which though ever changing never perishes, 
but adds to the stability, the beauty, and the grandeur of the universe. 
The influence of the holy character also passes beyond the stars, giving 
joy to our angel brothers ; and to our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, who 
in seeing his own love to his and our God, to his neighbor and ours, 
reflected in his people, beholds the grand result of the travail of his soul, 
and is satisfied .”— Macleod. 

“ Some soul shall reap what we have sown in tears.” 

Laura B. Boyce. 

11 They never quite leave us—the friends who have passed 
Through the shadows of death to the sunlight above ; 

A thousand sweet memories are holding them fast 

To the places they blessed with their presence and love.” 

M. E. Sangster. 


“ Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 

And, departing, leave behind us 
Footprints on the sands of time — 

“ Footprints that perhaps another, 

Sailing o'er life's solemn main, 

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, 

Seeing shall take heart again.” 

Longfellow. 


118 


CHAPTER VII 


TRIBUTES AND LESSONS 

The most difficult part of the writing of this sketch of 
our brother is the right estimate of his character. We are 
asked in what his greatness consisted. Although he had 
mental power above the average, that was not the secret 
of his power. Although he had fair executive ability, this 
was not the secret of his great success. He went to the 
United States and had extra advantages given him, so that 
he came back to Japan when there were very few among 
his countrymen who had similar advantages; but neither 
was this the great secret of his triumph. There was a 
deeper, a more subtle, and more important secret of his 
success than all these. 

Before attempting to analyze his character I want to 
give a few extracts from tributes which were printed in 
Japan at the time of his death; also extracts from medi¬ 
tations found in his note-books written in Europe and 
America in 1884-85, and others from letters which he 
wrote during the last fifteen years of his life. These ex¬ 
tracts could be multiplied almost indefinitely. 

Seiran Onchi, a noted priest of the Shinshu sect in To¬ 
kyo, sent a telegram first, and afterward the following let¬ 
ter, dated Tokyo, January 25, 1890: 

11 To the students and family of the late Mr. Neesima: 

u Having been informed in the newspaper of the death 
119 


120 


Joseph Hardy Keesima 


of Mr. Neesima, president of your school, I am full of 
heartfelt grief. Since I am a believer in the faith of 
Buddhism, I stood opposed to him and often attacked his 
work with pen and mouth. But in regard to his generosity 
and prudence and great success in spreading the morality 
which he maintained, and his stirring the religious heart 
of our people with his zeal, I can have no doubt. I was 
especially impressed with this when I once called on him 
with my friend, Mr. Hakuju Takatsu. We had a few 
hours 7 talk with one another, and I was deeply impressed 
with the fact that he treated us with kindness and love, as 
if we were old friends. It seemed to me at that time that 
if I was not a believer in Buddhism I should have become 
his friend and accepted Christianity. All who are minis¬ 
ters of any religion must become as he was. This thought 
is deeply impressed upon my mind, and my respect for 
him constantly increases when I recollect my interview 
with him. To-day, when I hear of his death, his gentle 
countenance and lovely words reappear in my eyes and 
ears, and cause great sorrow in my heart. Moreover, ac¬ 
cording to the newspaper his age is the same as my own, 
and this fact deepens my feeling. Though I expressed 
my grief with a telegram, I send this letter to more fully 
express my feeling. 77 

Count Katsu sent the following letter: 

“ I was surprised and pained at the news of Mr. Neesi- 
ma’s death which you sent me. Since he was too earnest 
in his plans, and in too great a hurry for the enlargement 
of his work, I used to advise him to be careful. Now, 
hearing of his death, I am in great sorrow. Since it must 
be very difficult to continue the great work he has begun, 
it is most important to be very careful and to expect that 
one difficulty after another will arise. To speak from my 
own experience hitherto in time of great danger, I believe 


Tributes and Lessons 


121 


that if we are sincere we shall not have our plans over¬ 
thrown $ and I have passed through these twenty years as 
if it were one day. Planning for the future will be very 
difficult, and there will occur unexpected difficulties. For 
the deceased master and for you I give this brief word of 
advice from an old man.” 

The four following selections are copied as published in 
Professor Hardy’s “ Life and Letters,” pp. 331 ff.: 

In the Woman's Magazine (Tokyo) Mrs. T. Sasaki gives 
the following account of an interview with Mr. Neesima a 
month before his death: 

“Mr. Joseph Neesima, the pole-star of our religion, the 
founder of the university in Kyoto, died January 23d, in 
the 23d year of Meiji, at the age of forty-seven. We sor¬ 
row over his death, not only on our own account, but for 
the education of young Japan. He was overflowing with 
love, full of virtue and of the spirit of consecration. His 
departure on the eve of the completion of his great work 
is especially lamentable. His life is well known to the 
world, and any attempt to narrate it on the part of my 
unworthy pen would but mar the perfect gem. So I let 
that pass, wishing only to place before you some words, of 
his which I wish thus to preserve as an incentive to my 
own spirit. 

“ About fifteen years ago, on his return from America, 
he preached frequently in Tokyo and Yokohama, and also 
delivered several lectures. He deeply impressed all who 
heard him, causing them to look upon him as the father 
of our people. I was one of his listeners, and from that 
time tried to see him as often as I could. Gradually his 
name became known, and he recently set about his plan 
to establish a university. I rejoiced in his undertaking, 
and to show my interest in it, with other sisters, gave a 


122 


Joseph Hardy Keesima 


musical concert, the proceeds of which, a widow’s mite, we 
forwarded to him. He sent us a letter of thanks, but we 
felt unworthy to receive even this from him. 

“ Last winter he came to Tokyo. It was on the 23d of 
December. I had the pleasure of a long talk with him. 
His face was gentle, but indicative of will. Though a 
man of few words, yet every one he uttered carried incal¬ 
culable weight. He received me as a father receives his 
child, with overflowing love, yet with a delicate reserve. 

11 1 Believing this is the best opportunity/ he said, 1 1 
wish to ask a favor of you. There is a work to which I 
desire you to give yourself—an important one at this junc¬ 
ture. Among the reasons why there are so few great men 
among us, why national morality is so low, I believe the 
greatest to be the existing inequality in the rights of man 
and woman. Therefore the first thing to impress upon 
the minds of the young girls in our classes is the fact that 
they have individual rights and duties, that we may thus 
enlist their interest in the cause of religion. I have seen 
many girls who, after four or five years of study at the 
expense of much money and sacrifice on the part of their 
parents, enter married life to conduct themselves as if 
they had had no education. They do nothing for society. 
They are under the rule of their husbands. They have no 
opportunity to show their ability, but are condemned to 
things in which they have had no schooling—the kitchen 
and the care of children. This is deplorable. It is sad 
that their husbands, in the treadmill of petty conveniences, 
do not realize it. It may be the result of custom, but it 
is a hindrance to the progress of civilization. In matters 
of social reform woman’s influence is greater than man’s. 
Her power is indeed great. But in our country we still 
find conservative and obstinate-minded men who cling to 
the old order of things. Looking back over my own life 


Tributes and Lessons 


123 


I find great troubles. A man whom I thought my sincere 
friend, and to whom I yielded my secret, turned out to be 
my enemy. For what I undertook, believing it to be for 
the best, I received sneers and hatred. There are unspeak¬ 
able troubles in our path. Equally great are the trials 
which the women of to-day must meet. To ask you the 
favor of doing for this cause may be asking you to shorten 
your life. But we do not live for selfish ends, and you 
and I, being the servants of God, do the duties appointed 
for us. Therefore we must not be surprised at the sneers 
and evil tongues of the world, for we must not forget that 
the greater the trials we endure the greater shall be our 
reward. This that I now say is foolishness in the judg¬ 
ment of the majority; for, looking at the great men of the 
past, I find that all had to endure the sneers and attacks 
of their contemporaries, and even to sacrifice life. No 
wonder that Christ had to suffer the cross ! He, therefore, 
who wishes to be a leader must be ready to sacrifice his 
life. 

“ 1 1 add one thing more, and that is of the Christians of 
to-day. Being fed and clothed by God, they are just like 
dead matter. This is because they do not understand the 
words of God. Among many sad things this is the most 
deplorable. Even if thirty-nine millions of people become 
nominally Christian, this will not suffice to purify society. 
This should not be lightly thought of.’ 

“ His words pierced me through. Some time had passed, 
so I rose to leave, promising to see him again with Miss 
Ushiwoda. On my going he presented me with his photo¬ 
graph, saying, 1 1 give you this that you may not forget 
what I have asked you to do.’ Two days later I visited 
him with Miss Ushiwoda. Though very busy he received 
us, saying many things to us which I cannot speak of here, 
feeling my inability to express his thought rightly. But 


124 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


one sentence I shall not forget so long as I live. ‘Let 
neither of you ever despair. Persevere. Dare to become 
reformers, yea, the renewers of this generation, and work 
on.’ He seemed to be greatly moved as he uttered these 
words, and we left him in tears. His last words to us 
were: ‘ This may be the last time I shall see you, so please 
pray for me and for the Doshisha. 7 We went out of the 
door looking into his face, and sorrowfully gained our 
homes. From that time we prayed daily for his recovery, 
and for' the university, when unexpectedly we heard the 
sad news of the 23d. We did not know even how to la¬ 
ment, it was so unexpected. It was the 23d of December 
when he talked with us—but thirty days between these 
two 23ds! Who could dream that those words were the 
last that he should speak to us ? When I look back upon 
that day I recollect that his face showed traces of suffer¬ 
ing, but he spoke to us as if he were unconscious of pain. 
Oh, his words! Even now, though I shut my eyes, I see 
his face clearly, and I can relate but little of what he said, 
for my feelings overwhelm me. 77 

In the Contemporary Review , of which Mr. Fukuzawa, 
the great educator, is editor, appeared the following edi¬ 
torial : 

“It is reported that Mr. J. H. Neesima died of heart- 
disease on the 23d inst., in a hotel at Oiso. 

“There is nothing more lamentable in human experi¬ 
ence. The death of Mr. Neesima is especially to be la¬ 
mented as a loss to society. If we examine the state of 
society we see men attaching too much weight to every¬ 
thing official, as if there were no position of fame or honor 
outside of the government. This is the natural outcome 
of the feudal system. To be a government official is to be 
on the road to sure success. And because of this belief 
the avenues of official patronage are crowded. In educa- 



NEESIMA’S RESIDENCE 













































































































































































































































Tributes and Lessons 


125 


tion and religion, as well as in politics and commerce, 
every eye is turned toward the government as the central 
source of prosperity. The existence of this tendency is 
disgraceful. Many things go to make up society, and 
of these government is one, but not the only one. In 
the lower stages of civilization extraordinary powers are 
vested in those who govern. Such a state of things would, 
however, be a blot upon this enlightened century, and 
those interested in educational and religious movements 
should aim at independence both for themselves and these 
enterprises. But is this the fact with us to-day ! How 
many men are there among us who, free from selfish in¬ 
terests, seek the true independence of society! Now and 
then we hear a remark on this subject ; but of what avail 
is it unless accompanied by individual illustration and ex¬ 
ample ! It is as if a man who himself drinks to excess 
should preach temperance to others. Independent men 
make an independent society. Mr. Neesima, living in a 
corrupt age, was not corrupted by it. Working earnestly 
in the cause of education and religion, his purpose was 
ever single. He was indeed an example of independence. 
His body perished, but his name is beyond the reach of 
oblivion. Many of the coming generations will hear of 
him, to take heart and follow him. This may, perchance, 
be a comfort to his spirit. Learning the sad news of his 
death, we lament the loss to society of a true freeman, and 
present herewith our humble condolences.” 

Mr. J. Tokutomi wrote in the Nation’s Friend , of which 
he is the editor, as follows : 

“ Lamartine tells us that, next to his blood, his tears are 
the most precious things a man can give. Individually 
we have lost him to whom we looked, as to a father and 
teacher, for strength and light and love—Mr. Joseph Nee¬ 
sima. As a society we have lost the leader of the cause of 


126 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


moral reformation in Japan. We have done our best to 
keep back our tears, but in vain. It is now no time to 
express our sorrow, for it cannot to-day be contained in 
letters and words. Nor is this the time to eulogize him, 
to analyze his character. ... Not only brave men, but 
those soulless waves which wash the shores of Oiso seem 
to mourn for him. But his spirit of consecration still 
lives, and shall not we who enjoyed his personal teaching 
take courage and work on after him in this spirit? 

“ An elaborate eulogy, a magnificent funeral, a splendid 
monument—these would not please him. Far better is it 
for us to do oui* daily duty, to help forward little by little 
with our whole heart and life the moral regeneration of 
society, that our land may be the home of men and women 
loving liberty, truth, charity, and God. This, indeed, w r ould 
be pleasing to him j and let him who admires his charac¬ 
ter and deplores his death think of these things. You, 
preachers, make your churches self-supporting. You, 
teachers, make your schools training places of character. 
You, students, seek for the spirit and energy of those who, 
loving liberty, can contribute to their country’s welfare. 
You, editors, proclaim the truth fearlessly, to your enemies 
as to your friends. And you, all men, with all your soul 
and strength, love God, truth, each other.” 

On February 21, 1890, a large audience gathered at 
Koseikan, where the great public meetings of Tokyo are 
held, in commemoration of Mr. Neesima. The following 
is an extract from the address delivered on that occasion 
by Mr. H. Kato, president of the Tokyo University: 

“You have assembled to-day to pay a tribute to the 
memory of Mr. Neesima. I have been requested to be 
present and to say something. I declined at first, for I 
never even met Mr. Neesima, and have had no relations 
whatever with him. I am not a believer in Jesus. Those 


Tributes and Lessons 


127 


who have already addressed you are all, I believe, his fol¬ 
lowers. I alone am not a Christian 5 neither am I a Bud¬ 
dhist. I am a man of no religion. ... Yet, being urged to 
speak, I would like to make a simple statement. From 
what I have heard of Mr. Neesima I know very well what 
kind of a man he was—one greatly to be honored and re¬ 
spected. All who have spoken unite in ascribing to him 
an invincible purpose. It is this unconquerable spirit of 
his which I honor. I do not praise him because he was a 
Christian. I care not whether he believed in Jesus or not. 
I praise him for that steadfast spirit so essential in every 
sphere of religion, learning, politics, or trade. I believe 
this spirit a great necessity in this country, although it is, 
of course, everywhere important. We are a clever people. 
Western nations commend us in this respect, and they are 
doubtless right. Within twenty or thirty years we have, 
in virtue of this quality of smartness, appropriated much 
from the West. It is a good thing to be clever, but to be 
clever only is to lack strength. Cleverness and steadfast¬ 
ness of purpose rarely go hand in hand. The former is 
apt to taper away into shallowness and fickleness, and the 
fickle, shallow mind can rarely carry through to its end 
any great undertaking. While there are undoubted ex¬ 
ceptions, yet I think this is our weakness, that we have 
not the endurance, the indefatigable spirit, of the men of 
the West. In the case of Mr. Neesima, however, from the 
very first, when he decided to go to America, to the close 
of his life, this invincible spirit was conspicuous. Such 
success as he attained cannot be brought about by mere 
cleverness. 

“We are praised for the enormous progress we have 
made during the last thirty years. Many who, not long 
since, despised foreigners as barbarians, now almost wor¬ 
ship them. From regarding them as beasts of the field, 


128 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


they have come to consider them as divine. This trans¬ 
formation has been wrought by the genius of cleverness, 
and it is well that it is so; but a more steadfast spirit 
would have brought about the change more gradually. . . . 
Foreigners criticize us for our mobility, and in itself mo¬ 
bility leads to no good results. . . . Without other quali¬ 
ties we cannot compete successfully with the West. Even 
if in actual hand-to-hand conflict we should conquer, in 
the competitions of peace we should be worsted. For the 
West is not only clever, but strong. ... I do not say that 
we are altogether destitute of this element of strength, for 
if this were so the future would be hopeless. But I do 
say that for the young Mr. Neesima is in this respect a 
great example. Not only those who follow him in Ids re¬ 
ligious faith, but all—merchants, statesmen, scholars— 
should strive to acquire his spirit. It is well to under¬ 
stand, in this age of the survival of the fittest, the neces¬ 
sity for this capacity to endure, and I earnestly desire 
that more men of his temper may be raised up among us.” 

At the same meeting, Mr. Takegoshi, editor of The 
Christian , said: 

“ In this large audience of the aged as well as the young, 
of men and women sitting shoulder to shoulder, there are 
doubtless atheists as well as Christians, theists, Buddhists, 
and materialists, and certainly many who never knew Mr. 
Neesima. Why have so many, unacquainted with him, 
assembled here with those who knew him so well? To 
honor his memory. And how shall we do this ? Shall we 
honor him as president of the Doshisha ? The Doshisha 
University is so firmly established that we need not grieve 
on its account. Shall we honor him, then, as a Christian ? 
But this atheist, this materialist, and yonder Buddhist, 
how can they honor him for that reason ? Why, then, are 
we here 1 This great assembly has gathered, I think, to 


Tributes and Lessons 


129 


commemorate Mr. Neesima as one of the great men of this 
century, whose extraordinary character is the common 
possession of the people. It is, therefore, more fitting to 
speak of him on this occasion as a hero than to relate the 
history of his work or to tell the story of his faith. And 
there arises first in our mind the question, What is a hero ? 
Man is a being who worships heroes. The universe is the 
temple of hero-worship. The history of the thousands of 
years since man first inhabited the world is the history 
of this worship. 

u Carlyle asserts that the worship of a false hero is the 
evidence of weakness, and that the homage paid to the 
true hero indicates a great people. Yet even great nations 
often bow down to the false and fail to notice the real hero 
who lives and dies in their midst. It is a great and glori¬ 
ous thing for a nation to recognize and appreciate its true 
heroes j and if the character of Mr. Neesima satisfies our 
ideal of greatness, his fame is the common glory of the 
nation. If a hero is one who can command an army, who 
rides among flying bullets and glittering swords, then Mr. 
Neesima was not one. If a hero is one whose eloquence, 
like a mighty wind, sweeps away all opposition, or whose 
fluent speech and practical tact insure success in every 
undertaking, he was not one. But if he is the hero whose 
life is a poem, a lesson which can be sung, and which is 
capable of stirring the enthusiasm of future generations, 
then Mr. Neesima may well be given that title. Does any 
one charge me with extravagant praise ? I can say only 
what I believe. Often the fame of great men is larger 
than the reality. The shadow is greater than the body 
itself. So that on drawing near the reality disappoints us. 
For this reason great men are often compared to a picture 
which must be observed at a certain distance. But this 
is not the case with Mr. Neesima. Great as was his fame, 


130 


Joseph Hardy Keesima 


when we approach nearer, to see and speak with him, he 
wins a larger respect. Those who knew him personally 
testify to his gentleness and meekness. But there burned 
within him a fire of mighty power. It is a very rare thing 
to see these two traits in a single individual. A merely 
good man is often weak-minded, while ability frequently 
leads to rashness and imprudence. Gentleness and force 
coexisted in Mr. Neesima to a rare degree. 

u In one of his letters to me he wrote: 1 Young man, 
fighting once, do not stop there. Fighting the second 
time, do not stop there. Do not stop even after fighting 
the third time. Your sword shattered, your arrows all 
spent, yet do not stop fighting till every bone is broken 
and every drop of blood is shed for the truth. Yes, if we 
do not fight for the truth, is not our life a useless one ¥ ’ 
These words rouse me to action. When I read them I sit 
upright. Within, his spirit raged like the billowy sea, but 
it flowed out calm and peaceful in meek and gentle con¬ 
duct. So a mighty river, foaming with a power to move 
mountains while in its bed, when it reaches the sea spreads 
tranquilly over the vast surface without a ripple. The 
secret of this combination of gentleness and strength was 
his confidence in Heaven. He intrusted all to God. He 
used to say, 1 The grasses do not thank the spring breeze, 
nor the falling leaves complain of the autumn wind.’ 
Autumn wind and spring zephyr were alike to him. He 
neither strove to win fame nor to avoid misfortune. If 
joy and pleasure came he did not refuse them; if they 
passed by he let them go and did not run after them. He 
left everything to its natural course. And thus on his 
death-bed he said, ‘ I do not complain to Heaven, nor find 
fault with any man/ He began by trusting in Heaven, 
he ended by enjoying it. What a sublime life! Nor did 
he, like an idle preacher, think lightly of his high calling. 


Tributes and Lessons 


131 


When he was in Kobe for his health, being in Osaka, I 
went down to see him. Forgetful of his own illness, he 
conversed with me for a long time, asserting that the pro¬ 
gress and prosperity of a nation at any epoch was to be 
measured by the number of its great men; and went on to 
speak of the scarcity of men devoted to the cause of hu¬ 
manity. After an hour’s talk he was tired out, and fear¬ 
ing that he would injure himself by so long a conversa¬ 
tion, I entreated him to stop. But he would not consent, 
and went on speaking as if perfectly well. The transfor¬ 
mation of this self-seeking world into a realm of freedom 
and righteousness, where the old should help the young 
and the young care for the aged, in which the rich and 
the poor should cease to antagonize each other, where la¬ 
bor should have its due reward, and peace and prosperity 
brood over the entire community—in a word, the realiza¬ 
tion of the great possibilities of humanity—this was his 
constant aim. The great enterprise of his life had the 
same end in view. Riu Gen-Toku said, ‘ Cho-un is all 
courage.’ So it has been said of Mr. Neesima, 1 He was 
all courage, fire.’ And this fire burned to bring forth a 
peaceful, prosperous nation. His tears, his prayers, his 
philanthropy, yea, his sickness even, were all devoted to 
his country. His was a vocation ordained by Heaven, and 
to build up on earth the kingdom of heaven he conceived 
to be his highest duty. We can readily understand now 
why he believed in himself and assumed so great a re¬ 
sponsibility. 

11 If it be possible to combine truth and humanity, a bold 
spirit and a meek character, to show practically by one’s 
conduct what Christianity is, without help from the dig¬ 
nitaries of the state or the powerful of this world, Mr. 
Neesima has done so. He was the Puritan of the nine¬ 
teenth century. His life is like a poem which has the 


132 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


power to thrill and awaken. It is a precept to be fol¬ 
lowed. Such a character as his is indeed to be respected, 
and it is an honor to the nation to possess it. 

“ Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Neesima is no more. As 
a mortal man, as the Puritan of the Orient, the leader of 
humanity, the man of independence, the lover of children, 
the teacher of the young, the friend of woman, the com¬ 
forter of the old, he is no more. His body is buried, as 
was the body of the thief. But he still lives. He lives 
in the memory of his fellow-countrymen, in the cause of 
truth and humanity, in the grateful thought of the nation. 
You who commemorate him endeavor to follow in his 
footsteps 5 consecrate your energies to make this nation 
strong, upright, and noble. This is the best way to honor 
his memory.” 

The following meditations were written in his journal, 
July 24,1884, while in the Waldensian Valley, Italy: 

“There is great danger of our forming an opinion of 
others by looking at them in one case. We should be 
careful, because some are quite deficient in one thing, 
though they may be quite efficient in other things. There 
must be some defect found in a so-called perfect man. 
In the first place, find his temper; second, his education; 
third, his surroundings; fourth, his circumstances or situ¬ 
ation in life ; fifth, see how he behaves in some unusual 
case. 

“Never criticize too soon; surely we shall misjudge 
him. Judge him with a Christian grace. Never be too 
harsh or too minute; love him as our Heavenly Father 
loves us. If we have love on our side then we may lose 
all our petty, criticizing spirit. Oh, it is a most unhappy 
and unhealthy thing to have too critical eyes for others! 
The best way will be not to judge others, as our Lord has 


Tributes and Lessons 


133 


taught. When we discover some defect in others, take it 
as if it were upon us, and try never to repeat it again. 
When we see great success among our brethren wish 
more success for him. Never look upon our dear brethren 
with envious eye. If he is good praise him, pray for him, 
and follow his example. I often observed that when 
some one heard good news of his friend some one would 
say, ‘But he is so-and-so/ instead of rejoicing over his 
success. There is a weak human nature prevailing every¬ 
where. There is a great deal of competition among edu¬ 
cated people. Note: Be specially patient when we are 
sick or are feeling unhappy.” 

It is wonderful to see this man, who had himself come 
out of darkness only a few years before, while traveling 
in dark Italy alone, write down such meditations as fill 
his journals during those months. Here are others of the 
same date, July 24th: u Silence. —Silence is one of 
the virtues. There is much safety in silence. Wise men. 
never talk much • as our mouth and tongue were given to 
use for good purposes, use them for good purposes. Vain 
and senseless talking often injures our reputation and 
cause us to lose our manhood. I often noticed uneasi¬ 
ness and chaff-like element in some vain, talkative men. 
There is something noble and secure in silence. Silence 
is a manly forbearance. A man of silence is a blessing to 
a family or to a society. Silence ought by no means to 
be combined with a bitter countenance, but with a cheer¬ 
ful countenance. Vain talking often disturbs affairs in a 
family or in society, but silence heals it. We can easily 
weigh a man of vain talk, but we could not easily measure 
the depth of the mind of a wisely silent man. But do not 
keep silence if we can by talking do much good to others 
or for the truth. Oh, how large a portion of our talk we 


134 


Joseph Hardly Neesima 


spend for vain things of the world, and how little for the 
truth! When a word goes out of our mouth it is like 
spilled water on the parched soil—there is no possibility 
of taking it back again; what is said is said ; it becomes a 
fact of our lives for which we must give account in the 
future. But, above all, let us not harbor evil thoughts, 
for evil thoughts are the mainspring of evil and vain 
talking.” 

Same date: “ Poor creatures! we plan much and do 
very little. Our plans are often defeated by something.” 
Same date: “ Receive others patiently. If any one imi¬ 
tates a hero, let him be so; receive him well. If any 
brother do not behave as he ought, let us wait for some 
occasion to drop a kind word, so as not to offend him. 
Never send away a brother in Christ when he comes and 
seeks our friendship. Bear the evils of others for God’s 
sake, for he bears our evils patiently. He does not 
correct us furiously, at once, but uses many occasions to 
heal us and takes many years to sanctify us. But let us 
by no means neglect our duty toward others. Look at 
the ocean, how beautiful it looks! Yet it must receive 
many filthy matters from the shores; it receives and puri¬ 
fies them. We shall be happy men if we can be like it. 
Be minute for ourselves in everything, but when we come 
to deal with others let us be careful not to offend them 
with a close calculation.” 

Same date: “Don’t be Jack-at-all-trades. In passing 
through some country towns I notice that there are ever 
so many things spread and shown in shops, but when I 
closely examined each article I found that each kind is 
rather scanty. It is well for us to be widely informed on 
many subjects, but do not imitate these country shops— 
many articles, with a scanty supply of each. We ought 
to be well posted at least in one subject of the profes- 


Tributes and Lessons 


135 


sional studies. It will be a rich treat to us. Success in 
our life will chiefly hang upon it. Let this be our offensive 
or defensive weapon on the battle-field of truth. Though 
our talent may be small, yet it is solid and weighty. Be 
single-minded for a single purpose. We shall sooner or later 
reach our mark. Never shoot our arrows into the air; 
aim at an object surely, and then let it go. If we miss, 
then repeat the process again and again until we can sat¬ 
isfy ourselves. I never knew a single case of a talented, 
puffed-up, yet unsettled-minded man having accomplished 
anything noteworthy.” 

Same date: “Never miss a rare occasion to do good. 
Let our guns be always loaded. When we meet our game, 
aim at it and shoot it instantly, for our game will never 
wait for us. When we meet any occasion to do good to 
others, then don’t let it go. Don’t wait for to-morrow; 
do it at once, for we may never have the occasion again. 
To shoot wild game is a mere pleasure, but to shoot men 
for our Master is a grave business. Let our guns be first 
loaded with living powder and bullets from on high, and 
be always ready. Many hunters of men carry their guns 
unloaded; this explains the reason why Christ’s kingdom 
among men does not spread faster.” 

Same date, July 24th: “At my sick-bed. The Divine 
Fire. —Many Christian ministers may have highest cul¬ 
ture, and may write their sermons with much skill and 
thought—beautifully executed work, like a Grecian mar¬ 
ble statue. Alas! there is no heat in it. Heat must be 
caused by fire; if there is no fire in the sermon to heat 
the hearers’ hearts it is a serious affair. This fire can 
only be got by daily seeking. Those who depend very 
much upon their talent and knowledge are very apt to 
forget to seek this much-needed divine fire for themselves, 
as well as for their hearers. How cold such a heart must 


136 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


be to a congregation! If each professing Christian has 
this divine fire Christ’s kingdom will come much faster. 
O Heavenly Father, give us this fire! However small we 
may be, if we have genuine fire we shall consume even 
the whole world. How small a spark of fire burned up a 
vast forest in Canada! How small a lamp-light consumed 
two thirds of the. great city of Chicago ! Sometimes one 
may make an artificial fire in imitation of the divine fire, 
but his hearers will sooner or later detect it; it is a mock 
fire. God will not bless such. Oh, let the divine fire be 
burning within us always! ” 

Same date: “ Man’s Greatness. —Man’s greatness is 
not simply in his learning, but in his disinterestedness 
in self. Those with much learning are apt to be more 
selfish than the unlearned. Let us look at Christ on the 
cross. He is our example. Oh, how noble, how grand, 
how gracious he seems to us! Let us forget self, and 
offer ourselves freely for the cause of truth and good. Let 
us also be truly penitent and humble. I call this man’s 
greatness.” 

The above meditations were written in one day, when, 
after going up on a mountain excursion from Rosa in the 
Waldensian Valley, he says: “We passed one night in the 
mountain house. I sent my thick coat and shawl with 
a donkey, and the donkey did not come that evening. I 
had to go without jmy shawl; I slept under the hay—un¬ 
comfortable.” The result was that the next day, July 22d, 
he had a fever, and it took him two days to get back to 
Rosa again. His entry for the next day after his return, 
July 24th, is: “I was quite unwell; called Dr. Vala; he 
gave me quinine once in two hours.” Yet on this day, 
“ at my sick-bed,” he wrote the meditations above given. 

Here follow other meditations from his journal: “A 
Thought for Preaching. —Suppose the future Judge 



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Tributes and Lessons 


137 


of the moral world comes down now and summons 
each of ns to appear before him, and uncovers all our 
past deeds before the congregation, how many of you 
will dare to step forward and get all your deeds eternally 
penned upon the walls of the sacred edifice, to be read by 
each of you ? ” 

“Human Happiness. —God gave us a sense of happi¬ 
ness so that we might be truly happy. It is right for 
us to feel happy when anything is given us from him. 
Let us be happy for the daily bread we receive, happy for 
pleasant circumstances, good home, good friends, pleasant 
situation, etc. But all the earthly happiness will become 
as nothing at all when we are permitted to step through 
the gate of Paradise and catch the glory of the Lamb of 
God, who caused the gate of heaven to be opened to us; 
let us aim at this happiness; this only is abiding.’ 7 

“ Promises. —Fulfil your promises promptly; never 
postpone until to-morrow, for we may not see it, or may 
be fully occupied with something else; then we shall have 
no occasion for excusing ourselves for the delay. It is a 
sort of weakness and sham for a man to make all sorts of 
apologies to another; let yea be yea and nay be nay. Do 
or not do. Never be sluggish, and never leave business 
half done.” 

“Business Character. —The Italians appear to be 
polite, but they lack business character. They are easy 
and like to be easy. They would rather postpone their 
business if they can. They will not move unless they are 
pushed by some one. Do your business promptly when 
it is required to be done. Do not waste your time by 
talking; do it at once and it is done. Try to talk what 
we mean, but never talk anything which we do not really 
mean in our heart. It is a moral weakness to say what 
we do not really mean. Straightforwardness can be 


138 Joseph Hardy Neesima 

found mostly among the Anglo-Saxon races, English and 
Americans” 

“ Roughness and Politeness. —A rough manner with 
a kind heart is far more preferable than a petty 
politeness with no least meaning. Japan is one of the 
politest nations in the world, but, alas! their heart is far 
from it. Artificial politeness became the national habit. 
This is not the result of true sincerity. Politeness ought 
to be a necessary exponent of true love and kindness, but 
politeness without a least meaning is a sort of deception. 
Remember that we are always naked before Him who 
never slumbers nor sleeps.” 

“Watchfulness. —Watch, pray, and be prepared for 
the Master’s call. We know not when he will come, 
whether in the first watch, the second watch, the third 
watch, or the fourth.” 

“A Policy for Our Training School. —Let us be 
like an unpolished diamond; never mind the outward 
rough appearance if we have a shining part within. 
Let these three factors be our perpetual mottos: 1. Christ 
as our foundation-stone. 2. Well-qualified instructors. 
3. Well-selected library and thoroughly equipped appara¬ 
tus. Those three factors will be true and shining parts 
of our training-school. Too much of brick and mortar 
does not suit my humble taste. I am terribly craving 
for the inner polish that will be a glory of our school; 
that will certainly command the respect of the thoughtful 
Japanese more than brick, stone, and mortar.” 

“The True Hero-worshiper. —Most of the Japan¬ 
ese will be hero-worshipers; they are a hard set of peo¬ 
ple to be managed, except by a hero to whom they can 
look up. Yet they are very easy to be led away by a 
hero. They are moved with the sensational currents of 
the hero’s opinions. There is a lack of individuality in 


Tributes and Lessons 


139 


them. Most of the hero-worshipers will be always colored 
by the same tint as the hero himself. The weak point is 
that they do not rise above their hero. If the hero makes 
a mistake or failure in his career they will do the same. 
If the hero falls they will fall likewise. The matter has 
been so with us when we examine our history closely. 
You will also find that there has been no hero in Japan 
who has done all for unselfish ends. He is apt to be more 
selfish than the common mass of the people. If their 
mind could be directed toward the Hero of heroes, the 
greatest the world has ever produced, I am sure it would 
revolutionize the future of Japan. He is far above Soc¬ 
rates and Confucius, yet he is a friend of the poor. He 
is far above Alexander and Napoleon, yet he shed his own 
blood for the people, instead of shedding the blood of 
hundreds of thousands of innocents for his own gratifica¬ 
tion. He had no selfish aim in his life j he was perfectly 
holy and yet perfectly simplej he had no place to rest his 
head, yet he sat from eternity on the throne of the uni¬ 
verse. If the Japanese are bound to worship heroes, let 
them worship this Hero, the Hero of heroes. His wor¬ 
shipers will also be tinted with the one best color, that is, 
the color of godliness. Within this bound there is an 
ample scope for freedom; man can choose any professions 
except bad and harmful ones. In following and worship¬ 
ing him we shall obtain the true human liberty; we shall 
certainly have our individuality. Oh, how I long that 
our people should turn their attention to this Hero, who 
is far above weak humanity! ” 

“Questions. —Is there any one in the world who is 
altogether above selfish ambition? How can he know 
himself that he is perfectly free from that ? How can we 
know that such an one is free from it ? Is there also any 
one who is perfectly free from the slightest deception? 


140 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Could ever deception be eradicated from civilized society ? 
How many of us could say to God that I have lived my 
life without the slightest ambition or deception? Has 
any one ever seen, or could we ever expect to see, such a 
perfect type of humanity among the race of Adam, except 
the Son of God? It is too foolish to entertain such a 
question. But I would like to meet a person of the above 
description.” 

“A Best Method of Teaching. —If I teach again 
I will pay a special attention to the poorest scholar 
in the class j then I shall succeed.” 

In a letter from Tokyo, March 24, 1878, he closes as 
follows: “ Pray for me, so that I may be directed entirely 
by His hand.” After an absence in Tokyo, on his return 
he writes: 

“ Kyoto, Monday morning, July 21, 1879. 

11 1 arrived in Kobe yesterday at 5 p.m., and passed the 
last night in Nishinomiya. I might have returned home 
last night, but lest I should break the Sabbath I stayed at 
the above-mentioned place. I came home this morning a 
little after nine o’clock. I have not seen Mr. Yamamoto 
yet, but I don’t believe the present difficulty is very serious. 
We have the strong God to depend upon. I trust he will 
make the matter all right.” 

During the revival at the time of the Dai Shimboku- 
kwai, or General Conference, in Tokyo, he writes: 

“ Tokyo, May 11, 1883. 

“ Dear Brethren in Kyoto : 

u I am anxious to write a few lines to inform you how T 
the Lord blessed us in our Dai Shimbokukwai. We com¬ 
menced it on Tuesday, with a one-hour prayer-meeting. 
It was the most impressive meeting I ever attended in my 


Tributes and Lessons 


141 


life. A spirit of union was greatly manifested in that 
meeting ; then followed the business meeting; Mr. Miya- 
gawa was elected chairman. In the afternoon we had 
reports of the delegates ; it was a most enjoyable part of 
the conference. I can assure you that the Lord blessed 
us far more than we asked for.” 

When he had heard news affecting the Doshisha which 
greatly troubled him, he writes from Dorchester, Mass., 
March 22,1885 : “We shall be in a hard fix then. I know 
not what to say, but I can only state to you that I am on 
my bnees. I hope I shall get a further light upon this 
serious subject.” In the same letter he speaks of the 
great trials and difficulties of the past, and says, u I often* 
wonder how I ever came through those deep muds of the 
past; ” but he adds, “ I received the sustaining courage and 
strength from the unseen Hand ; ” and again at the close 
of the same letter: “ Recently I learned something from 
experience: when I meet any serious or alarming case I 
keep myself standstill —not to be frightened by them; 
afterward they pass off all right.” Again, when serious 
misunderstanding had arisen in regard to Mr. Neesima’s 
action, and a letter had been sent to him which he calls 
“ the most insulting letter I ever received in my life,” he 
writes from Milford, Del., in regard to it, April 20, 1885: 
u I am sorry to say that his letter is thrown into the waste¬ 
basket. When I read it I said within myself, ‘What! 
have I lost a sense of honor ? ’ but I knelt right down for 
God's grace to preserve me in his hand. I am all right 
now; please don’t mention it to any one.” “ I thank God 
for his ever-sustaining grace to me. Each trial and each 
difficulty draws me nearer to his hand; he sustains me 
and helps me far beyond what I can ever know or dis¬ 
cover. Pray fo? me that I may be ever nearer to him.” 


142 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


May 26, 1885, he closes a long letter of ten pages, written 
from Boston, which is full of plans for the school and for 
the spreading of the work in Japan, with, u Pray for me 
that I may rest in the Lord” When stalling for Tokyo 
in August, 1875, to try and get permission to start the 
Doshisha, he closes his letter with the words, “ Pray for 
my success.” 

By the advice of the mission, Mr. Neesima spent the 
summer of 1887 in Sapporo, on the island of Yezzo, and 
while there he heard the news of Mr. Hardy’s serious ill¬ 
ness, which came by cablegram to him. He writes to 
Mrs. Hardy: “ July 30, 1887. Mr. Hardy’s letter inform¬ 
ing me of the action of the prudential committee was re¬ 
ceived here with a grateful heart. Alas ! the intoxication 
of this joy was soon dampened by the telegram telling me 
of his serious illness. I had some fear of it since receiv¬ 
ing your last letter. How greatly I am troubled I can 
scarcely state here. I wish we could have some sort of 
medium to convey our messages every hour. Oh, how 
anxiously I feel about him! He has sown with us, and 
I earnestly wish he could reap much more fruit here in 
Japan with us before he departs in peace. Besides, I do 
own a real affection for him, and think I love both of 
you more than my own parents. I am begotten of you by 
your love. Pure love kindles love of the same kind. 
Noble affection binds us much firmer than some natural 
ties. I wish I could appear before him even in his dream.” 

After hearing of Mr. Hardy’s death he writes: “ August 
24th. I am all confused when I attempt to write to you. 
I have many things to say to you concerning Mr. Hardy’s 
departure for another world. But when I attempt to 
write, alas ! I find everything chaotic. I sit by my table, 
I hold my pen—but I can do nothing further. Of course 
I know that our Heavenly Father wished him to come to 


Tributes and Lessons 


143 


the blissful heaven. I know we must submit all our 
affairs to his hand. I know, also, Mr. Hardy may be far 
better off than in this troublesome world $ but I miss him 
very much—I feel quite lonely. I feel my real father is 
gone; yea, he has been to me more than my father. I 
believe that he knew me more than all my Japanese 
friends here. I have lost the friend of Japan. My heart 
is darkened like the total eclipse which so recently hap¬ 
pened here. Cheerfulness and brightness are suddenly 
disappeared. Alas, the total darkness ! The air is chilled, 
the temperature is fallen. This solar eclipse lasted only 
for a while, but my heart’s eclipse may last as long as I 
live. I cannot finish even these few lines. I am too 
sensitive just yet. Besides this sensitive feeling I have 
another—my sympathy with you. You must miss him 
beyond measure. His cheerful voice cannot be heard any 
more. My heart aches in your behalf. However, I rejoice 
with you that when he departed from you he must have 
commanded you to trust and rely upon another Arm, ever 
strong and everlasting. I will try and write you much 
oftener than before, but at present I find it a hard task to 
write to you.” 

“ September 4th. It is quite rainy this afternoon. I 
am undisturbed by any visitor; my heart turns to Boston. 
My reflection about you and Mr. Hardy is taking hold of 
my heart very strongly. This is the fifth Sabbath since 
he left us, but with him it must be the continual Sabbath. 
We who are left behind weep and mourn, but he rejoices. 
All the mysteries here may be no longer any mysteries to 
him. How grand that must be! While I am sadly miss¬ 
ing him, and at the same time cheered by the idea of his 
most holy, happy, and blessed state, I have a mixture of 
contrary feelings. We all feel we have lost the father of 
the Japan mission. Some sent me telegrams to console 


144 Joseph Hardy Neesima 

my sorrow, others wrote me letters to express their own. 
Now we have got to go on without his advice and sup¬ 
port. At this critical hour I simply cry out, 1 God help 
us!’ I would like to write you some things I have ob¬ 
served in this island. At present I have no courage to do 
so. I have received your letter telling me of his most 
loving memorial to me. Now I must say what a touching 
thing it is that he should remember me so far away as he 
did. I shall never, never forget it. Through God’s help 
I will try to follow his example. Doubtless your letter 
was written with many tears. So it is with mine. My 
heart is still burning with all sorts of plans for our work. 
But my wife is a constant guard to check me and take 
away my control. She works like a policeman to remove 
my pens and papers, and requests visitors to cease their 
conversation. I told her that I cannot hide mj^self any¬ 
where in Japan now, and I am thankful for it.” 

After the physician had told him of the serious nature 
of his heart-disease, he wrote Mrs. Hardy from Tokyo, 
July 4, 1888: 

“ Allow me to send you my compliments for this glori¬ 
ous day of your nation. I came here on the 11th. My 
wife is with me. She is a sort of policeman over me, 
watching lest I overdo. Though I am slightly gaining, I 
believe I shall never get well again. My doctor says my 
heart is enlarged and will never resume its original size, 
and that at any time my bodily life may cease. Of course 
I bore it rather bravely, but to my wife it seemed almost 
unbearable. She was warned to keep it a secret from me. 
But, poor creature ! she could not keep her secret. I tried 
to comfort her, and told her all my future expectation. 
However, I found it a hard work to quiet down my own 
sensitive feelings. Since then she stays with me, and 
does not give me a chance to write much. Just now 1 


Tributes and Lessons 


145 


sent her away a few minutes in order to write this letter. 
Though I am absolutely prepared to resign my future 
into the tender hand of the Heavenly Father, yet when I 
think of you—all my past affairs—your motherly and un¬ 
ceasing love comes at once to my memory, and I weep like 
a babe. I dislike to pass off suddenly without a good-by 
to my dear friends. Therefore, though it may be useless 
to inform you of such a matter beforehand, I should be 
sorry to leave this world without sending you my last 
farewell, with my unspeakable thanks for all you have 
done for me. I owe you all, and have nothing to pay 
back but my thanks and daily prayers for you. If I fail 
to send you my last farewell by reason of passing off sud¬ 
denly, as my doctor described to me, please regard this as 
my last word to you. I wish I could write as I feel, but 
I cannot express myself at all. I trust you can guess at 
it. What I cannot say I hope I shall say in another world. 
With regard to my tender feeling to my dear wife and 
aged mother you may sympathize with me. You know, 
also, how much I am interested in our Kyoto schools and 
the Gospel work throughout this island empire. I am 
willing to leave all these interests behind. I am thankful 
for what has been done for my beloved country. What 
now shall I hope or expect to receive ? As you know, I 
have a desperate plan and will to make our Kyoto school 
a Christian university. For this cause I came to Tokyo. 
For this cause I became ill and fainted away. For this 
cause I am still staying here. However, I am very care¬ 
ful. I fear I cannot write you much hereafter. If I pass 
off I hope you will not feel too sorry. I fear this may 
not be a very complimentary letter to receive on your 
Fourth of July. But so long as I am prepared to resign 
myself to His hand, I like to tell my sympathizing mother 
and ask for her prayers for my soul. My wife has re- 


146 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


turned and warns me to stop. What I write here is not 
revealed to her. Please keep this secret from other peo¬ 
ple. I am still hopeful to live, hut am prepared to go 
also.” 

The following are translations of some of the poems 
which Dr. Neesima wrote on different occasions. The 
first is one composed two days before he left Japan the 
first time: 

“ One suit of rough clothes and a sword of three feet 
long I have; when I turn my head and look at the affairs 
of the world, I feel rather depressed in my heart. Man 
has by nature an aspiration for a great journey. Unless 
I travel through the great cities of the five continents I 
will not take my rest.” 

The next was composed when he reached the China Sea 
after he left Japan: “If man be determined in his mind 
to run away a thousand miles, he expects to have to en¬ 
dure great sufferings, and why can he be anxious about 
his home ? But how strange! In the night, when the 
spring wind is blowing, in a dream he sees flowers in the 
garden at home.” 

Here follow three poems composed on the journey when 
he went to America the second time: 

“ The feeling aroused by parting during life is stronger 
than that of parting in death. When we are parting from 
each other how can our hearts be light and jubilant ? A 
traveler to the Western land in nightly dreams sees a 
school by the side of the river Kamo ” (in Kyoto). 

“Even an iron steamer seems to know the feeling of 
departure; for it moves slowly toward the West, breaking 
the waves. The ferry-boat which conveyed me is dis¬ 
appearing in the evening mist. When I look at Mount 
Rokko in the far north, the scene is gloomy and dark.” 

“ For ten years I cherished the hope of a foreign trip in 


Tributes and Lessons 


147 


vain. At length I am, to-day, outside of my native land. 
Flowers in Paris may be beautiful, the moon in London 
may be fair, but in my dreams I search after the people 
by the side of the Shokoku-ji.” (The river Kamo is near 
Doshisha, and Shokoku-ji is the name of a large grove 
just back of the school.) 

Miscellaneous Poems. 

11 The serpent-like criticism of the world I do not mind 
at all. For thousands of years I will lie patiently in the 
great marsh. Behold, when there come great winds and 
clouds I will fly to the top of Mount Fuji.” 

11 Though I am sickly myself, how can I be without 
anxiety in my heart ? With patience I expect to see suc¬ 
cess. Being diligent we must polish our spirit as a gem. 
The light of God does not yet shine in this land of the 
mikados.” 

“Cease to say that human affairs are all dangerous. 
Wherever there is justice there is the will of Heaven. If 
my faith be as a mustard-seed I can change the mulberry- 
field to the blue sea and the blue sea to the field.” Here 
follow two poems, one composed as he was about leaving 
Japan the first time, and the other when he returned to 
Japan: 

“ The aspiration of a knightly man is like a maple-tree 
on Mount Tatsuta. He will not come back without wear¬ 
ing glorious clothes.” 

u A glorious cloth to decorate the fatherland is hidden 
in the box, because it is not time to wear it.” 

Dr. Neesima had a deep vein of humor in his nature. 
In June, 1875, the first time I went to Kyoto with him to 
look at the land for the Doshisha, we visited the San Jiu 
San Gen Do, a Buddhist temple, where are a thousand 
life-size wooden images. As we walked among them, Dr. 


148 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


Neesima said with a laugh, “ These images are just fit to 
keep poor students warm in the winter .” A missionary 
once sent a very cheap kakemono, or wall picture, to a 
friend in America. When Dr. Neesima was in the United 
States the last time he visited this friend, and was shown 
this article, over which a great deal more ado was made 
than the article warranted; he was asked to explain it, 
and he told the missionary who sent it, after he returned 
jo Japan, 11 1 read all the characters except the price-mark; 
I thought,” said he, with a twinkle of the eye, “ you would 
be willing I should omit that.” Only a day or two before 
he died, when his wife and one or two other friends were 
changing his clothes, and causing him to groan with the 
severe pain, u Oh, how you hurt,” he said with a groan; 
and then added, “This is the first time I’ve ever been 
stripped by good people.” 

Dr. Neesima told one of our number the following in¬ 
cident of his early boyhood. His father was rather strict 
with him, and one day whipped him severely on his hand; 
this made him very angry, so that he sulked and would 
not speak to his father; so after a day or two his father 
called him to the little garden, pointed to a delicate bam¬ 
boo, called the sasa, and recited this poem : “Nikunde wa 
utanu mono nari; sasa no yuki”—“I do not strike in 
anger; snow on the sasa.” As snow bends and almost 
breaks the delicate sasa, we must tap it gently so that it 
will rise erect again. By this Dr. Neesima felt touched, 
knowing his father’s love for him, and he ceased his sulks. 
When Dr. Neesima began the study of the Dutch language 
in Tokyo he needed a dictionary, but he had no money; so 
he opened his father’s money-drawer, took out eight yen, 
and put in its place a paper saying he had taken it and 
would replace it some time; when the money was missed 
and the paper found Dr. Neesima said that he had bor- 



FIRST CLASS IN DOSHISHA UNIVERSITY, FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER GRADUATION. 








Tributes and Lessons 


149 


rowed it, and that he had to run in debt two yen more to 
get the dictionary j whereupon his father gave him the 
balance of two yen. 

Miss Isabella Bird describes her visit at Dr. Neesima’s 
home in her “ Unbeaten Tracks in Japan/ 7 vol. ii., pp. 232- 
235. She says: “Mr. Neesima is a gentleman to begin 
with, and has quiet, easy, courteous manners. He is a 
genial, enlightened Christian and an intensely patriotic 
Japanese. He gives a sad account of the lack of truth 
and the general corruption of morals among his country¬ 
men. I asked him what, in his opinion, are the leading 
faults of his countrymen, and he replied, without a mo¬ 
ments hesitation, ‘ Lying and licentiousness. 7 77 

Dr. Neesima was present at the opening of a branch 
Sabbath-school in a large pottery in the southern part of 
the city of Okayama in the fall of 1880, and was invited 
to preach the first sermon. In it he emphasized the need 
of being pure in heart, and told of seeing in America a 
beautiful and costly Japanese vase which the gentleman 
had recently purchased. He admired and praised the 
workmanship to the gentleman 7 s satisfaction, but when 
asked to explain the designs he hung his head. “ There, 77 
said he, “ were the signs of our country’s shame j the de¬ 
signs were too vile to be told. 77 

Dr. Neesima’s character contained the principle of love 
to a marked, degree. He had strong love for his friends, 
and it was a love which was broad as well as deep. He 
deeply loved the students of his school, and this love was 
universally reciprocated by the students. He loved them 
so much that it almost broke his heart to have any of 
them leave the school on account of dissatisfaction, or to 
have to send any one out of the school as a punishment, 
He could hardly bear to exercise discipline in the school. 
On one occasion, during the earlier history of the school, 


150 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


some grave offenses had been committed, and yet Dr. Nee- 
sima felt that the school was partly to blame or such things 
would not happen, and instead of punishing the offending 
students he said the Doshisha must be punished j so one 
morning at prayers in the chapel he stated those convic¬ 
tions to the school, and said that he was going to punish 
the Doshisha and he could do it in no other way than by 
punishing the head of the school; and so, taking a stout 
withe in his right hand, he struck his left hand a succes¬ 
sion of blows which brought the tears to every eye in the 
house before one of the older students could interfere to 
stop him. In all his connection with the school I never 
heard a student say anything against him, and I never 
knew that one did so. 

Dr. Neesima’s love for the members of his own mission, 
and for all the foreign workers in Japan, was very strong, 
and they loved him in return. His earnest yet simple and 
unassuming ways won all hearts and begat a love which 
no discussions or difference of opinion interrupted. He 
had the love and respect of all the foreign workers in 
Japan who knew him, and he had no more sincere mourn¬ 
ers at his death than the large company of foreign friends 
of different missions who gathered at the memorial ser¬ 
vices in Kyoto and in other places. 

Another trait was peace. He tried as much as in him 
lay to live in peace with all men. He was ready to yield 
his own view; this was almost a fault with him. He was 
sometimes too ready to yield to the opinions of others. 
During all the years of his connection with the school as 
its president and head, he never once, so far as I know, 
set up his opinion against that of the teachers; he always 
yielded and worked in harmony with them. He was al¬ 
ways ready to yield any point which he felt was not con¬ 
trary to the great aim of his life $ when that was at stake 


Tributes and Lessons 


151 


the whole world could not move him. He was generally 
a joyful, cheerful man. His strong faith and hope kept 
him in an atmosphere of joy. So, too, we might speak of 
his long-suffering, gentleness, and goodness; also of his 
faith; in the darkest hours his faith in God and in ulti¬ 
mate success only seemed to grow stronger. 

His meekness was remarkable. He was from the first 
the head of the school, and yet, during all those years, he 
kept himself in the background and never insisted on his 
rights as president. It was hard work to get him to take 
the president’s seat on the platform in the chapel. 

When, however, we go deeper and seek the mainspring 
of these graces, we find, as the Apostle tells us in Galatians 
v. 22, 23, that they were all the “ fruit of the Spirit.” The 
mainspring of Dr. Neesima’s character, and the secret of 
his great success, was in his union to God in Christ 
through the Spirit. He felt, with Paul, “ I can do all 
things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” 

It is difficult to analyze the great secret of his power 
and success, but we may mention a few points: 

1. Loyalty to duty. As soon as he gained an idea of 
God he felt his obligation to him, and he began to dis¬ 
charge it; and as the months and years went on and his 
vision of duty broadened, his sense of obligation broad¬ 
ened with it, and efforts to discharge that obligation kept 
pace with his enlarging vision. 

2. He took a great aim and one which was in harmony 
with God’s great aim. He did not take a low aim, he did 
not take a selfish one; he took for his aim the establish¬ 
ment of a great Christian university, for the sake of lift¬ 
ing up, so far as he could, through that, his whole nation 
toward God and a Christian civilization. The results of 
that school are already changing the history of the empire. 

3. He had a holy, absorbing ambition to realize his 


152 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


great aim. He counted not his life dear to him if he 
could accomplish his great object. When, a few years 
before he died, the question was raised of his going to the 
United States a third time to try and secure money for 
the endowment of the university, and his physicians told 
him it would be almost certain death for him to go, he 
replied that that would make no difference with him if he 
felt that by going he could secure the money. His going 
to Tokyo and working during the last months of his life 
were done in a similar spirit. He wanted to die in the 
harness, and he did. 

4. He committed himself and his great plan and all its 
details to God, with a firm faith that God would give him 
success. He never seemed to waver even in the darkest 
days. In the last English letter which he wrote this faith 
shines out. After speaking of the gift of $100,000 for the 
Scientific School, just as Professor Shimomura was ready 
to return to his work in the school, he says: “ Is it not 
wonderful that when he was about ready to come home 
the way to make himself useful was opened before him ? ” 
And then in that letter he tells of his “day-dream to 
found a Christian college,” and how he received no human 
encouragement; but he says: “However, I was not dis¬ 
couraged at all j I kept it within myself and prayed over 
it.” Then the night before he made his appeal for money 
at Rutland he could not sleep, and says: “I was then 
like that poor Jacob, wrestling with God in my prayers.” 
Then later, when he took up the larger work of founding 
a university, he says in the same letter: u I have a full 
hope that my vague day-dream for a Christian university 
will sooner or later be realized, and in some future we 
shall find occasion to give thanks to Him who has led us 
and blessed us beyond our expectation.” 

5. His heart was greatly interested in direct mission 


Tributes and Lessons 


153 


work. Deeper than all other thoughts, more important 
than all other plans, was the thought and the planning to 
bring the millions of Japan to Christ. This was funda¬ 
mental to his whole plan for a Christian college and uni¬ 
versity. 

When the writer visited him for an hour in Ikao, where 
he rested in great weakness during the summer of 1888, 
he was no sooner seated than Dr. Neesima said, “ I have 
something I want to show you j ” and he went to the ad¬ 
joining room and brought out a map of the province of 
Joshu, and on it he had marked every place where there 
was a church, every place where the Gospel was regularly 
preached, and other places for which he was praying and 
planning to secure evangelists. He had no greater sor¬ 
row during the closing years of his life than that which 
came from the fewness of those from among the graduates 
of the collegiate department of the Doshisha who prepared 
themselves to preach the Gospel directly. He was often 
ready to weep over it as he spoke of it, and he wept as he 
prayed over it. 

He begins his round-the-world diary in 1885 in the fol¬ 
lowing words: “April 6th. Went on board the ‘Khiva* 
at Kobe, accompanied by my wife and other friends. I 
separated from my wife with prayer, committing her to 
the care of my Father in heaven, upon whom she can rely 
far better than upon myself.” “April 7th, Monday. Prayer 
for theological students.” “ April 8th. Came to Nagasaki 
6.30 a.m. j pray for fifth year; ” and so on, day after day, 
we read, “ Pray for vernacular class,” u Pray for theolog¬ 
ical class.” He carried this intense desire for workers to 
be raised up to reap the waiting fields of Japan around 
the world with him, and presented this object in earnest 
prayer to God every day. 

He always let his Christianity be known; as has been 


154 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


mentioned on previous pages, his first work when he 
reached his native land was to preach the Gospel to the 
people in his old province of Joshu j he did it so earnestly 
that it has brought forth an abundant harvest. His first 
work when he came to Kyoto, in 1875, was to start a 
religious service in his house on the Sabbath, where he 
preached Christ to a little company of men and women. 
Dr. Neesima was always and everywhere known as an 
earnest Christian; the impression of him among his coun¬ 
trymen was well voiced by a high official who remarked, 
when Dr. Neesima had persisted in holding firmly to his 
Christian principles, “Well, you are a slave of Jesus 
Christ, are you not ? ” 

Dr. Neesima spent the summer months of 1885, while 
in the United States and far from well, at West Golds- 
borough, Me., a retired country place. On July 28th he 
wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Hardy as follows: “I went to 
church here last Sunday. After service I asked for the 
Sunday-school. To my surprise the reply was negative. 
I thought it too strange and too bad that these young- 
folks should grow up here without it. A thought came to 
me at once, Why cannot we start a Sunday-school here ? 
I proposed to a lady here that we should offer ourselves 
as teachers. I thought I would not show forth myself as 
the originator of the idea, and tried to put the preacher 
forward to execute it. He was most too glad to do so. 
I took the responsibility of getting the Sabbath-school 
papers for them, because I had no least doubt you will 
take a share in the work and get others interested in it.” 

Professor Hardy says (“Life and Letters”): “In his 
subsequent letters from Japan, when burdened with many 
cares, and feeling the hand of death not far from him, 
Mr. Neesima asks again and again, 1 How is my Sunday- 
school getting along ? 7 ” 



LAST RESTING PLACE 












































































































































































































t 






























Tributes and Lessons 


155 


What, then, are the lessons of this life to us who re¬ 
main? 

1. Let us realize that still 

“ God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform.” 

The age of miracles of physical healing may be past, but 
we have before us the fulfilment at the present day in 
the world of the Saviour’s promise, “ Greater works than 
these shall he do ; because I go to my Father.” The won¬ 
derful calling of Dr. Neesima twenty-six years ago; his 
preparation; the bringing of Captain Janes to Japan and 
the training of the band of men who should be associated 
with Dr. Neesima to make his school and his work a suc¬ 
cess ; the bringing to this land of the missionaries who 
should be associated with him in that work; the planting 
of the school in Kyoto, in the midst of the great prejudice 
and opposition, and its success as it stands before the 
world to-day, is as great a miracle as any recorded in the 
Old Testament or the New, if we except the miracle of our 
Saviour’s incarnation and atoning work. It is simply in¬ 
conceivable that all these improbable things should hap¬ 
pen, and that they should come together at just the right 
time, simply by chance. 

2. Let us all grasp the fact of the greatness of the 
work which God used our brother to begin. When God 
called Abraham out of his native country to go into a 
strange land, he had a great purpose and work to accom¬ 
plish through him. God does not work such wonderful 
deeds as this sketch contains without having a great plan 
and purpose to accomplish through them. We can see 
already that the Doshisha is changing the history of 
Japan; and if the plan of our brother can be carried out 
this school will be one of the greatest factors in the civil- 


156 


Joseph Hardy Neesima 


ization and Christianization of Japan. But if this is to 
he the result then all the friends of the school, foreign 
and Japanese, must realize the greatness of the sacred 
trust which they have inherited from its beloved presi¬ 
dent, and, with a similar love and faith and hope and 
patience, they must hold the school true to the great pur¬ 
pose of its founder: not education for its own sake, but 
education for the sake of God’s glory and the salvation of 
men. 

3. We may learn that self-denial for Christ is the great¬ 
est gain for self ; that he “ who would be great must be a 
servant: and that he who would be first must be servant 
of all.” God takes care of the man who is loyal to him, 
loyal to his own conscience, loyal to duty, loyal to right. 
The happiness and final success and glory of that man 
follow of necessity, because it is a part of the eternal 
nature of things, and because God will sooner or later 
put his approving smile upon that man and upon his 
work. Dr. Neesima’s name will be remembered on earth 
long after the names of many so-called heroes are for¬ 
gotten, and his place in heaven will be above that of every 
man who has sought his own glory. 

4. Let us remember that just as Dr. Neesima’s life was 
a plan of God, so every man’s life may be a plan of God. 
If we will but put ourselves in God’s hands, to be led and 
used by him, and work with God and let God work with 
us, we shall work in harmony with God, we shall work 
with God, and our power and ability will be multiplied 
by an infinite factor, so that God only can measure, and 
eternity alone can reveal, the results of our life-work. 
“ The good man does better than he knows! ” 

“ Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.” Dr. Nee¬ 
sima rests from his labors, and his works follow him. 


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